Matt Miazga is on his way back to MLS.
FC Cincinnati signed the U.S. international center back on a free transfer from Chelsea just prior to the close of MLS’s secondary transfer window, ending Miazga’s time abroad—at least for now—after six loan-filled years. Miazga left the New York Red Bulls for Chelsea in January 2016 in a transfer worth a reported $5 million. He hardly featured for the Premier League side, though, making just two appearances for the Blues, both coming in his first half-season at Stamford Bridge.
Since then, he was loaned to Vitesse in the Netherlands, Nantes in France, Reading in England, Anderlecht in Belgium and Alavés in Spain, earning considerably more playing time but never truly increasing the likelihood that he would feature for his parent club. Now 27, with 22 U.S. caps to his name, Miazga is headed back to the league where he initially broke out, joining a team that’s in the mix to reach the playoffs for the first time in its history. For three seasons, FC Cincinnati has produced the worst record in MLS, but it currently sits tied with Charlotte FC and Inter Miami on points for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, trailing just on the total wins tiebreaker. Its 42 goals conceded are second-worst in the conference, however, and that’s an area where Miazga could certainly be of assistance. He is signed through 2025, with an option for 2026, with the use of Targeted Allocation Money.
