Major League Soccer teams have enjoyed a hiatus from league play since July 20, but clubs stayed busy on the field with the Leagues Cup and off the field with the summer transfer window.
The transfer window is a short but vital opportunity for all 29 teams to make personnel changes. The MLS has just 10 games left before its playoffs begin, so the window gives teams on the playoff bubble an opportunity to improve and potentially secure a postseason spot.
Here are two teams on the bubble that made season-changing deals that could prime them for a playoff run:
Houston Dynamo
In sixth in the Western Conference, Houston has had a strange season. After winning the U. S. Open Cup in grand style in 2023 and securing its spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, it has spent much of 2024 looking a little off its game.
Houston’s defense and midfield have played well, sometimes even great, but its front line has failed to deliver goals. The Dynamo have scored just 33 this season, well off the 51 Houston scored last season.
Enter the summer transfer window and Ezequiel Ponce.
The Argentine striker, who joined Houston from AEK Athens, quickly changed the Dynamo’s fortunes in front of the net.
In the Leagues Cup against Toluca, Ponce scored the game-tying goal. Against Real Salt Lake in the Leagues Cup, his effort went down as a Justen Glad own goal, but one must give Ponce credit for his vision and positioning.
