MLS Transfer Window: Crew, Dynamo Among Most Improved

The MLS Transfer Window is now officially closed. There are still bound to be a few straggling announcements, as the deadline basically represents the time at which the proper paperwork needs to be filed, not when the deals have to be totally complete. There will also be some examples of players coming into the league who are out of contract and there can, of course, still be trades until the roster freeze on Sept. 12.

That said, we now have a pretty good idea of what teams are going to look like as they make their final push for the playoffs and it seems as good a time as any to determine which teams really helped themselves during the transfer window and who missed their last best chance (list of notable transfer-window moves).

Higuain is the older brother of Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain and can play as a winger or as a second striker. He came up through River Plate’s youth academy and the 27-year-old joins the Crew after spending the last two years with Colón in Argentina, where he scored 10 times in 62 appearances. Clearly, he is not a prolific goalscorer, but he could be the playmaker that the Crew have lacked since Guillermo Barros Schelotto left the club.

Standing just 5’8” and weighing only 165 lbs., many will probably question whether he can handle the physicality of MLS, but that shouldn’t be much a problem. The Argentina Primera has a reputation fo referees who don’t call many fouls so if Higuain could deal the physicality in his homeland, he shouldn’t have much of a problem adjusting to MLS.

The Sounders have not officially confirmed those reports, but did acknowledge they are in “advanced negotiations” and “will announce a signing when it becomes official.” The implication here seems to be that there are some other pieces that still need to fall into place, which could be anything from league approval to a player being shipped out.

For more analysis of the signing, be sure to check out Sounder at Heart.

Cahill was at training today with the team, sporting his familiar #17 as he participated in light workouts. He won’t officially join the roster until he receives his P-1 work visa and international transfer certificate, standard operating procedure. If the paperwork comes through quick enough, he could be available for selection as soon as this weekend.

The club announced the signing via press release on their website today.