Nashville SC: Hany Mukhtar shows signs of being elite

Nashville SC signed Hany Mukhtar to be their big-name Designated Player. And the early signs are very positive. He might just be an elite MLS creator.

Any expansion team wants to sign a premier player. When building a new team, it is desirable to be both competitive from day one and to attract fans into the stadium. Any team organisation relies on the supporters. They pay for the tickets, buy the merchandise, create the atmosphere, and provide the size and clout. Signing a key player helps put bums on the seats.

Atlanta United acquired Miguel Almiron and Josef Martinez. Los Angeles FC signed Carlos Vela. Inter Miami CF made quite the splash when they added Rodolfo Pizarro from Liga MX. And Nashville SC also made their key signing in the offseason: German creative midfielder, Hany Mukhtar.

More from MLS Multiplex

• Javier Milei Elected in Argentina: Potential Impacts on MLS and Signings of Argentine Players
• Orlando City and New York City FC in the Battle for Matías Arezo; Grêmio Enters Negotiations! Who Will Come Out on Top?
• USA, Honduras, Panama, and Canada Close in on a Spot in the 2024 Copa America
• De Gea Turns Down Al-Nassr’s Lucrative Offer: Speculation Points to Possible Reunion with Messi at Inter Miami
• Messi’s Magnetic Impact in the United States

To start the season, Mukhtar was Nashville SC’s only Designated Player. Randall Leal also offered a high-end offensive option, but Mukhtar was the key addition, the player who was brought to inspire the Nashville attack and perform at an elite level. After all, you can only have three DPs. It is critical that those spots are maximised.

And Mukhtar recognises his role. Last year, he said that he will not be affected by the pressure:

"“Of course in football, it’s always pressure. You never play without pressure, because the club has goals, you have goals. But the most important for me in the beginning is that I get to know everybody in the team. That we find each other.”"

He also spoke about how Nashville built the team around him:

"“It was something special. Not often that a team comes to you and says, ‘we will build a team around you; you will be one of the key players.’ That was, for me, very important. They gave me the feeling that I am important. Every player wants to feel important, that’s something special, I would say.”"

And in limited gametime before lockdown, Mukhtar showed signs that he is ready to be the elite player that Nashville SC signed him to be. He was their primary threat in the season-opening defeat to Atlanta United, supplying Leal on the break and providing an excellent link between the midfield and the attack, especially given Nashville’s limited possession.

Then, against the Portland Timbers, he mastered the match. Nashville controlled the Timbers superbly, dominated possession, created a vast array of chances, and were hugely unlucky to lose 1-0.

Per 90 minutes, Mukhtar averaged 0.20 expected assists and 3.5 chances created, both leading figures in the Nashville squad. He also provided eight total shot-creating-actions. Dax McCarty also eight, while no other Nashville player had more than four.

Of course, it was an extremely small sample size so any conclusions must be taken with a grain of salt. But Mukhtar was signed to be Nashville’s principal star. And the initial signs suggest that he is ready to deal with the pressure.