Kévin Denkey: the goalscorer who became the most expensive signing in MLS history

FC Cincinnati is looking to get revenge in 2025 after losing in the First Round of the MLS Playoffs to New York City FC over three games. For that reason, it has just broken the league transfer record and acquired a top scorer from Europe.

Kévin Denkey has officially become the most expensive signing in MLS history, after the team that won the Supporter’s Shield last year paid $16.2 million for the Togo international, according to sources close to the club.

Before Denkey’s arrival, Argentine Thiago Almada was the most expensive signing in MLS. In 2022, Atlanta United paid $15.12 million dollars for the midfielder who won the World Cup with the Albiceleste at Qatar 2022.

Who is Kévin Denkey?

Born on November 30, 2000 in the city of Lomé, Togo, the 23-year-old centre-forward was closely followed by Spanish clubs such as Sevilla and Betis, however, he decided to continue his career in the United States in search of making the leap further ahead.

Despite his young age,

Denkey has made a total of 200 appearances in Europe, scoring 78 goals and providing 22 assists, in addition to having already played 38 games for the Togo national team, with whom he scored on the recent international break, and has scored eight goals in total.

Denkey was the top scorer in Belgium’s Jupiler League with 22 goals, and has scored 34 times over the past two seasons, only being surpassed in Europe by strikers such as Harry Kane, Viktor Gyokeres, Erling Haaland and Luuk de Jong.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kévin to FC Cincinnati,” said general manager Chris Albright. “He is a talented young forward with exceptional character. Kévin has been one of the most productive forwards in Europe over the past two years, demonstrating elite physicality, finishing ability and work ethic. This is a historic transfer for our club and our league, and is a huge credit to our ownership group, who continue to invest in this club’s ambition to compete for trophies.”

“This choice was a natural one for me,” Denkey said. “I felt like the club really wanted me and that I can really help the team. I just had this good feeling. So for all of us it made sense. FC Cincinnati explained the project to me and it was a great project.

I went there, saw a game, saw the stadium, saw everything, the facilities. And I was like, ‘This is amazing. ’ This is amazing. I wanted to take another step in my career and I think I can do that in Cincinnati.”