Which players from Liga MX will make biggest impact in MLS?

As the MLS expansion project keeps its track, the American soccer market is gaining the attention of Liga MX assets, coaches, executives and Mexican footballers. The wages, lifestyle and multiculturalism of MLS seduce underpaid talent.

One of the missions of MLS is to attract the attention of the Latino market, especially the Mexican market. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, there are almost 37 million Hispanics of Mexican origin in the United States. And the best way to have control of that specific market is by bidding on the talent that comes from the Liga MX and other Mexican international players.

However, there is much more sports intelligence involved in the selectivity of Liga MX assets arriving at MLS. The 2019-20 transfer window brought new faces, probably unknown to some soccer fans. So, which players will have a better impact in MLS?

Lucas Cavallini  (27) – Vancouver Whitecaps

In five tournaments with Puebla, Cavallini scored a total of 29 goals. Cavallini’s merit was that he converted with one of the worst and least entertaining Mexican teams.

Cavallini will bring better numbers to an offense that scored the fewest goals in the Western Conference in 2019. His physical strength and proficiency inside the box will grant Vancouver the option to play with a satellite and nominal center forward underneath him.

The adaptation will be fast because Cavallini is a Canadian international. But the key relies on the Whitecaps and the effort to surround their new addition with players that will give him goal opportunities.

Prediction: Cavallini will score 12 goals in his first year in MLS.

Lucas Zelarayan (27) – Columbus Crew SC

If the Crew loved Federico Higuain, who was a non-relevant player in the Liga MX, they might fall for Lucas Zelarayan.

Zelarayan was part of the most successful Mexican team of the decade, Tigres. He arrived at Monterrey, Mexico, as the MVP of the Superliga Argentina. “El Chino” probably was the most elegant player in the Liga MX. And even when he was the substitute of players like Rafael Sobis and Eduardo Vargas, Zelarayan responded as expected.

The Tigres fan base liked Zelarayan and were conscious of the amount of talent he had. Nevertheless, it was an extreme luxury for Tigres to have him on the bench.

Columbus Crew SC signed a player with enough talent to surpass Higuain and become the new star of the Crew.

Alan Pulido (28) – Sporting Kansas City

Even if he’s not the most reliable goalscorer, Alan Pulido comes to Sporting KC as the Apertura’s top scorer.

Dynamic and with good touch, Pulido’s role at Chivas for many years relied on the generation of opportunities. Instead of acting as a finisher like Cavallini, Pulido moves with more freedom and easiness. His incorporation will help KC in the organization of frontal football.

Pulido will adapt rapidly to the league; he is a player with enough conditions to appear in the top-10 strikers of the league.

Prediction: Pulido will score 14 goals in his first MLS season.

Chicharito (31) – LA Galaxy

Stu Holden described the arrival of Javier Hernandez as “the biggest signing for MLS since David Beckham.”

In a certain way, he’s entirely right. Chicharito is probably the most popular player in CONCACAF. He’s polite with the press and fans. Hernandez will boost ticket sales — home and away — and sell jerseys, and will be the face of the LA Galaxy and MLS.

However, he’s filling the spot of the most efficient striker in the history of the LA Galaxy, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Zlatan converted 53 times in 58 games; he averaged one goal every 93 minutes and was responsible of the 42% of the Galaxy’s goals in the last two seasons. As a comparison, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane scored every 197 and 140 minutes, respectively. It is a massive responsibility.

On the other hand, Hernandez will give the Galaxy more freedom to develop better football; the rest of the squad won’t depend on a static center forward. LA will have much more intensity in the attack and a better building-game process.

Now, the fundamental task for the Galaxy is to surround him with goal opportunities. Hernandez can score, but he cannot generate his goal opportunities. He’s a predator in the box, but if the Galaxy lack offensive creativity, Chicharito will not be very efficient.

Undoubtedly, the Galaxy will be a more competitive squad with Chicharito, because the offensive responsibility won’t rely uniquely on one man.

Prediction: Chicharito will score 18 goals.

Edison Flores (25) – D.C. United

Edison Flores was runner-up in the 2019 Copa America and part of the Peruvian squad that, after 30 years, qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Even if he’s not adequately known by MLS fans and the press, Flores is probably the best addition that comes from the Liga MX in the 2019-20 transfer window.

He arrived in Mexico in 2018. Monarcas Morelia signed him as the alternative to Raul Ruidiaz after Ruidiaz’s departure to Seattle. Nevertheless, Flores possesses entirely different conditions; he develops better as a winger or playmaker.

Flores had an exceptional performance in his last tournament with a semi-vulnerable team like Morelia. With seven goals and four assists, Flores was the top scorer of the squad and a game changer for Morelia during the Apertura playoffs.

He’s explosive, technical, vertical and creative in the moment to find the last touch, whether that’s an assist or a goal. Flores is hard to intimidate because he’s more visible and courageous during the toughest matches. In his previous tournament, Flores scored four goals against the first- and second-ranked teams. Edison Flores was a very undervalued gem in the Liga MX, and hopefully D.C. United will make him bright more.

Follow Luis on Twitter: @LFulloa.

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