Major League Soccer's new cash-based trade rule should push club's like Charlotte FC to be more ambitious in the intraleague market

By Brian Maurer

Evander (Photo courtesy of the Portland Timbers)

Last night, GiveMeSport's Tom Bogert reported that MLS will be instituting a new rule where MLS clubs could start making cash transfers on intraleague trades. The rule allows clubs to make two outgoing and incoming cash-based intraleague transfers per year.

This opens the door for high-level Designated Players who are unhappy at their current club to be kept in MLS. Before, when a high-value player wanted out of their current MLS club that team would have to transfer their player abroad to try and recoup some value from the situation. Now MLS clubs will be more equipped to compete in their high-value player market.

Specifically in this winter window, the Portland Timbers' Evander and FC Cincinnati's Lucho Acosta have expressed a desire to leave their clubs. Other MLS clubs have an opportunity to compete in negotiations for these players who were both 2024 MLS MVP nominees.

If Charlotte FC was willing to spend around $10 million for Miguel Almiron this winter, then one would think they would at least inquire about Evander and Acosta. Both midfielders had over 30 goal contributions in 2024, which is more than Almiron had during either of his seasons with Atlanta United.

All this is to say, there are now two MLS-experienced high-level contributors at Charlotte FC's greatest area of need who are now available within the league that the Crown should be monitoring as the winter window progresses. There is an argument that Evander and Acosta should now be Charlotte's top targets.