Some footballers came really close to joining Major League Soccer, others were only loosely linked with a move, while a few made it to the newspaper and online rumours despite having little real intention of playing in the United States. For one reason or another, several blockbuster transfers never materialised.
By the middle of 2022, Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo was approaching the end of his four-year spell at Juventus and looking for a new challenge. At 37, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner had interest from Saudi Arabia and, more surprisingly, Manchester City, according to media reports from the time.
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LA Galaxy and Inter Miami had also explored the possibility of signing Ronaldo, but Sporting Kansas City emerged as perhaps the most serious MLS contender.
Ronaldo was on Sporting KC’s discovery list, giving the club the right to negotiate with him ahead of other MLS franchises. A series of meetings between Kansas City and Ronaldo’s representatives took place over the course of a month, with talks progressing well enough for a deal to appear possible.
The biggest hurdle was financing such a move, and, more importantly, persuading Ronaldo to make the switch.
In the end, Ronaldo, who was deeply unhappy during his return to Manchester United, chose a different path, accepting a multi-million-dollar offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.
Another of Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammates, Luka Modric, was also the subject of MLS interest. As the Croatian midfielder approached the end of his contract with Madrid in 2024, both San Diego FC and Inter Miami were keen on bringing him to the States.
Modric, however, opted to extend his Madrid contract by another year. He spent his final season at the Bernabeu as captain before leaving for AC Milan in July 2025.
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San Diego FC also tried to lure two more familiar names, defender Sergio Ramos and goalkeeper Keylor Navas, to MLS, but neither move bore fruit.
Then there was Neymar — and perhaps the most intriguing missed opportunity of them all.
Inter Miami had dreamed of reuniting Barcelona’s legendary MSN attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar. The prospect of seeing the three reunited in MLS, however, faded when Neymar agreed to a one-year extension with Santos in January 2026.
That contract expires in December, when Neymar is expected to retire from professional football.
