Major League Soccer has continued to strengthen its reputation as a destination for some of the biggest names in world football, but several blockbuster transfers involving global superstars have failed to materialise.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Neymar are among the high profile players who were reportedly close to making moves to the United States at different points in their careers. According to a report by The Economic Times, financial demands, career decisions and personal preferences ultimately prevented the proposed deals from being completed.
Ronaldo came particularly close to a possible MLS move in 2022. At the time, the Portuguese superstar was 37 and approaching the end of his second spell at Manchester United after previously spending four years at Juventus.
Several MLS clubs reportedly explored the possibility of signing the five time Ballon d’Or winner. LA Galaxy and Inter Miami were among the clubs linked with the forward, but Sporting Kansas City reportedly emerged as the most serious contender.
Ronaldo was on Sporting Kansas City’s discovery list, which gave the club priority to negotiate with him ahead of other MLS teams. The club reportedly held a number of discussions with representatives of the Portugal international over a period of about a month, with negotiations progressing far enough to suggest that a move was not completely unrealistic.
The biggest problems, however, were the financial requirements of the deal and Ronaldo’s willingness to relocate to MLS. In the end, the superstar opted for a different challenge.
After an unhappy second spell at Manchester United, Ronaldo accepted a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr. His decision eventually took him to the Saudi Pro League rather than the United States, where he has continued to play at the highest level.
Modric was another legendary former Real Madrid player who attracted serious interest from MLS.
As the Croatian midfielder approached the final stage of his Real Madrid contract in 2024, San Diego FC and Inter Miami were reportedly interested in bringing him to America. Modric, however, decided to remain in Madrid for another season.
He spent his final campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu as Real Madrid captain before leaving the Spanish giants for AC Milan in July 2025. The decision meant MLS missed another opportunity to add one of football’s most decorated midfielders to its growing collection of international stars.
San Diego FC also explored possible deals for two other Real Madrid legends, Sergio Ramos and Keylor Navas. Neither transfer was completed, further highlighting how difficult it can be for MLS clubs to turn interest in established European stars into actual deals.
Neymar presented perhaps the most intriguing possibility of all.
Inter Miami had reportedly considered bringing the Brazilian forward to the United States in an attempt to reunite him with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. The trio formed Barcelona’s famous attacking partnership, commonly associated with the club’s dominant period in the mid 2010s.
A reunion in Miami would have created one of the most commercially attractive attacking combinations in MLS history. Messi and Suarez had already reunited at Inter Miami, making Neymar the missing piece of a potential Barcelona reunion.
However, the possibility faded when Neymar agreed to extend his stay with Brazilian club Santos for another year in January 2026. The agreement is scheduled to run until December, and reports indicate that the Brazilian could retire from professional football rather than make the move to MLS.
The failed pursuits of Ronaldo, Modric, Neymar, Ramos and Navas demonstrate both the ambition of MLS and the challenges involved in attracting established global stars.
The league has successfully built a reputation for bringing internationally recognised players to North America, with Lionel Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami becoming one of the biggest developments in its history. MLS clubs continue to explore opportunities to sign players capable of increasing the league’s global profile, but major transfers depend on much more than financial offers.
For Ronaldo, the appeal of Saudi Arabia ultimately proved stronger. Modric preferred to extend his historic Real Madrid career before moving to Italy, while Neymar chose to remain in Brazil.
Although none of the three blockbuster moves happened, the level of interest shows how far MLS has come. The fact that clubs were able to enter serious discussions involving players of Ronaldo, Modric and Neymar’s stature underlines the league’s growing influence in the international football market.
For fans, however, the missed opportunities leave behind an intriguing question of what might have been. Ronaldo in Kansas City, Modric in San Diego or Neymar alongside Messi and Suarez in Miami could have produced some of the most memorable chapters in MLS history.
