MLS: Top 5 Designated Player signings from 2020

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Seatle Sounders’ Joao Paulo Mior celebrates after scoring a goal against Olimpia during their CONCACAF Champions League match at Olimpico Metropolinato Stadium in San Pedro Sula, Honduras on February 20, 2020. (Photo by ORLANDO SIERRA / AFP) (Photo by ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP via Getty Images) /

The 2020 MLS offseason saw more spending than any other offseason before it, especially with new Designated Players. Here are the top five DP signings made.

To build a competitive Major League Soccer team, it is crucial to make the most of the three Designated Player slots. Ever since the expansion of the rule, the very best teams in the league have been founded on two or three elite-level players who can singlehandedly win matches and provide the cornerstone of the entire system. And so, every offseason, the most important signings to take note of are the DP arrivals, and in 2020, we saw more spending across the league than ever before, especially at the DP slots.

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So, with this in mind, here are the top five DP signings from the 2020 offseason, with two obvious caveats: the first is that any player who was signed in 2020 but had previously played for the team is not included; the second is that this is a far-too-early analysis so take everything with a grain of salt.

COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 01: Lucas Zelarayan #10 of Columbus Crew SC controls the ball during their game against New York City FC at MAPFRE Stadium on March 01, 2020 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /

5. Lucas Zelarayan

“He’ll bring the intelligence, the brains,” Columbus Crew head coach Caleb Porter said of DP signing Lucas Zelarayan. “He’ll bring chance creation, he’ll bring individual quality. I expect him to really be a threat every single game. He’s a really special player.”

After his first start for Columbus, Porter doubled-down on his assessment. “I’ve been telling you guys he’s a special player, I’ve seen it every day,” Porter said. “He’s a difference-maker and that’s why we brought him here.” Zelarayan hit the ground running, and there is no reason to think that he is going to slow down any time soon.

The number 10 arrived in Columbus to be the cornerstone piece. He was a bit-part player at Tigres. He wanted to be the main man, and the Crew bet $7 million on him being precisely that. In his first two appearances, he has proven that he is precisely that, scoring a beauty on his debut to hand Columbus the victory.

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