Soccer
Cincinnati set to break MLS transfer record with major attacking acquisition
Reigning MVP Luciano Acosta looks to be on the way out but Cincy can now spend serious money to boost their offensive options.
It’s been a tough couple of weeks for FC Cincinnati.
Two weekends ago, reigning Supporters' Shield champions were dumped from the playoffs in Round One. Soon after, team captain and talisman Luciano Acosta promptly announced that he intends to leave the club. After two years of consistent excellence under Pat Noonan, can Cincy retool in the offseason?
The early signs suggest they can. On Tuesday GiveMeSport reported that Cincinnati have completed a deal to bring in striker Kevin Denkey from Cercle Brugge on a league-record fee.
The expected $16.2 million deal would eclipse the $16 million that Atlanta United paid for Argentinian playmaker Thiago Almada. Denkey, 23 years old, struck 28 goals in 39 games last year and he has followed that up with 11 goals and six assists at the start of 2024/25.
Earlier this year DP striker Aaron Boupendza was frozen out of first-team action after a series of disciplinary issues, including a broken jaw during an incident in a bar. The likes of Josh Sargent and German Berterame had been forwarded as potential replacements for the now-departed Boupendza but it appears that Denkey has got the nod.
What is the MLS transfer fee record?
Ahead of Denkey’s arrival, the three biggest incoming transfer fees in MLS history were all paid by one team: Atlanta United. They have spent big to sign three Argentinians in recent years: Thiago Almada ($16m), Pity Martinez ($15.9m) and Ezequiel Barco ($13m).
Almada also holds the distinction of being one of the largest outgoing transfer fees the league has seen. In July he was sold to Brazilian side Botafogo in a deal worth at $21 million, rising to $30 million if a number of additional conditions are met.
The only MLS fee that can compete is the $26 million that Newcastle United paid to prise Miguel Almiron from Atlanta in 2019. The ambitious Eastern Conference club are the common factor in many of the largest MLS transfer dealings, a product of their big-spending ‘buy-and-sell’ model. They have been willing to fork out large sums to bring in promising young talent, with the aim of developing the player and selling them on to Europe for a profit.
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