Winners and losers from the MLS offseason

Loser: Philadelphia Union

Philadelphia follows a different playbook than its peers, focusing on developing young players and not making splashy transfer moves like Atlanta's. That context matters. A winning offseason for Philly involves identifying and retaining its key stars, not dropping millions in the market.

Even against that moved goalpost, though, Philly is struggling. It lost legendary coach Jim Curtin after the 2024 season; his replacement, ex-St. Louis head coach Bradley Carnell has not inspired confidence in his first weeks in charge. Philly also sold one of its most promising young players, U.S. Men's National Team midfielder Jack McGlynn, to Houston in one of the winter's most shocking deals. 

Who does Philadelphia have to replace him? Why, 37-year-old Alejandro Bedoya, that's who. For a club that trades on its youth, selling McGlynn and leaving its midfield in the hands of the declining veteran Bedoya was a head-scratching choice.

Winner: Sporting Kansas City

It's been a while since Kansas City found itself on the positive side of one of these preseason lists. But 2025 already feels different — and special — for the long-suffering side. It brought in Dejan Joveljic, fresh off of a championship-winning run with the LA Galaxy, to lead its attack, and it did so on a first-of-its-kind all-cash move that positioned Kansas City as an innovator.

It then upped the ante by signing Spanish attacking midfielder Manu Garcia on a Designated Player deal. Garcia is a great pick; he's a player in his prime who came up through Manchester City's youth ranks before making a name for himself in La Liga. He and Joveljic should create box-office television together.

Loser: D.C. United

With just three weeks to go until the start of the 2025 MLS season, D.C.'s thin roster is the stuff of sporting director nightmares. It's just two players deep at most positions, meaning that even one or two injuries could shatter its core, and some spots on the field are even worse off. 

Spare a thought for poor Australian defender David Schnegg: he's the team's only left fullback, and if he gets hurt, there's simply no one around to replace him. No pressure, right?

The 2025 MLS season opens on Saturday, Feb. 22.