With two and a half weeks still remaining in the Secondary Transfer Window, MLS clubs are still working to fine-tune their rosters for the playoff push.
One key piece of currency in acquiring talent can be international slots. At this stage of the season, there aren't a ton of international slots unused across MLS. The roster designation is necessary to sign a player from abroad, or acquiring one from within MLS that doesn't have domestic status, while it can be valuable if another club needs an international slot to complete a signing.
On Friday, Sporting Kansas City acquired $50,000 in General Allocation Money from D.C. United in exchange for a 2020 international slot. United then used the slot to re-add Edison Flores back to the active roster after he returned from injury. This comes just a few weeks after D.C. United acquired a total of $225,000 in GAM in exchange for an international slot in 2020 and 2021 from the Montreal Impact.
At the moment, there aren't many clubs who have great flexibility with their international player list. NYCFC have the most with four vacant slots, due to a high number of their international players having received green cards and counting as domestic players, such as Alexander Ring, Anton Tinnerholm, Jesus Medina and more.
Columbus Crew SC, Sporting KC and the Vancouver Whitecaps each have two open international slots. Below is the full list of MLS clubs:
- 4 open int'l slots: NYCFC
- 2 open int'l slots: Columbus Crew, Sporting KC, Vancouver Whitecaps
- 1 open int'l slot: FC Dallas, Montreal Impact, New York Red Bulls, San Jose Earthquakes
- 0 open int'l slots: Atlanta United, Chicago Fire FC, FC Cincinnati, Colorado Rapids, D.C. United, Houston Dynamo, LAFC, LA Galaxy, Inter Miami, Minnesota United, Nashville SC, New England Revolution, Orlando City, Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders, Toronto FC
