5 potential Designated Players who could join MLS for the 2016 season
David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Kaka, Steven Gerrard, Andrea Pirlo, David Villa, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba - each of these superstar footballers has lent his name, his story, and his legend to Major League Soccer.
With the January transfer window just a few days away from opening, here are five star players who could be signing Designated Player contracts with MLS in the 2016 season:
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be the next marquee name on Major League Soccer's star-studded Rolodex.
At 34 years old, he remains one of the best players on the planet. In signing Ibrahimovic, MLS would gain not just another marquee name, though; the league would acquire a character of tremendous marketing potential. The name "Zlatan" alone carries with it the legend of a man whose brash (some might say arrogant) personality and acrobatic footwork made him a star. And the MLS bosses are probably keen to have their league name attached to that legend.
Ibrahimovic wants to join MLS at some point, and Beckham is keen on retaining his signature when the former England international's Miami franchise comes to fruition in a few years' time. Though, could Ibrahimovic join earlier? Perhaps.
Wayne Rooney
Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney has already been identified by MLS commissioner Don Garber as one of the top targets for the league to sign. And, for England's most prolific striker, a stint at MLS is an intriguing prospect when his contract expires in 2019.
But could it happen sooner than that?
That's the question MLS will try to force an answer to, and there's no better time than now (well ... next summer). See, Manchester United is set to undergo a tremendous period of change as Louis van Gaal is phased out. Rooney might not be an integral piece of that new-look United team.
The Red Devils' struggles could just be MLS' gain next season.
Carlos Vela
This Mexican international striker has been linked with a move to MLS for months now, following in the footsteps of Giovani Dos Santos who joined the LA Galaxy last season.
The Colorado Rapids are the reportedly interested party and Vela's agent is working to make a move away from Real Soceidad happen. But, the two are in "wait and see" mode and a transfer probably won't come down the pipe until next summer when the La Liga season ends.
But for Vela, a move to MLS seems inevitable. Of the five players in this list, Vela is the most likely to be make the move in 2016.
Andrea Barzagli
Designated Players in MLS have been dominated by attacking midfielders and strikers, with very few defenders or goalkeepers brought in. Besides Portland Timbers captain Liam Ridgewell and Mexico icon Rafa Marquez, no other foreign defenders of note have been brought in on DP contracts. Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler worked their way up to higher-figure salaries, but as the league has grown so too will the demand for top-quality defenders. This then brings us to Juventus center-back Andrea Barzagli.
There's some precedent for Juventus players joining the league, with Andrea Pirlo and Sebastian Giovinco making the switch last season. Barzagli, 34, is at the point in his career where a potential switch to MLS would be quite profitable. But with the play in the league set at a high tempo, he'll need to join now before he can't keep up anymore.
Tim Howard
This goalkeeper may still be a starter at Premier League side Everton, but Tim Howard isn't getting any younger. At 36, he is in the waning years of his playing career and if he does have MLS ambitions (and the desire for the paycheck that comes with it) then he is fast approaching the last few profitable years of his career.
Howard's marketability, which plays on U.S. patriotism first and foremost, makes him a tremendous off-field asset for any team to profit from and, like his fellow national team players Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, and Jozy Altidore, Howard would help bring in fans of U.S. soccer who don't necessarily support MLS teams.