3 Transfer Needs For FC Dallas In The Summer Window
Writer's note: I'll send out a reminder the day of, but once again I'll be on CBS 11's "The Pitch" World Cup show this Saturday 6/20 at 6PM Texas time. If you missed the show last week, here's a clip where we got the pleasure of hosting Prince St Pizza in studio.
With the 2026 World Cup underway we're under a month until the Secondary Transfer Window, aka the summer transfer window, opens for Major League Soccer. Notably it'll be the final time the summer window is MLS' tertiary window, with the schedule change coming in 2027. The next time we talk about this window, it'll be MLS' top path for squad improvement.
For FC Dallas, this window's mission is simple: Quality additions. Dallas is 4th in the Western Conference at the break staring down a long road trip upon resumption. The overall roster is solid, and now needs those complimentary pieces to push it to great. Should Eric Quill, Andre Zanotta, and Dan Hunt finds the right parts in this window they can transform this team into a top end MLS Cup contender.
Specifically there's three things for which Dallas should search during the summer months. Let's break down what they are, and why they need them.
One: A Running Mate for Petar Musa Up Top
Dallas has tried numerous times to solve this problem as of late, starting with Lucho Acosta last season followed by Joaquin Valiente and Santi Moreno this year.
Sam Hale
Acosta didn't work out at all, this much we know. Valiente isn't an elite chance creator, instead settling into an elite presser who helps create turnovers via an incredible engine. It's a valuable skill set, but not for what Dallas was searching.
Moreno meanwhile has displayed connectivity and skill, but the goal contributions have yet to follow. Moreno has two goals and one assist in just over 500 minutes, and so far has yet to show he's consistently got 90 minutes in his legs. Between 60-70 minutes Moreno starts to slow; out of his 10 Dallas matches Santi has more matches of 30 minutes or less (3) than 90 minutes (1). That's fine, soccer has substitutions for a reason. It just means Moreno isn't the superstar Dallas intended (yet).
With the shift to a 4-4-2 base formation, both players have settled into roles as wide midfielders. That's valuable, but also means Petar Musa is left without a defined regular starting partner. Playing Logan Farrington alongside him has been good, but limits Dallas' depth. Patrickson Delgado has become a specific use player, and that use isn't as a full time starter. Every option comes with a drawback, something Dallas must resolve.
If you want an in-league option, might I offer Gerardo "Dado" Valenzuela from Cincinnati. Pat Noonan's squad is under-performing, sitting 7th in the Eastern Conference with a -1 goal differential and one win their last four. If things take a turn out of the break for Cincy, they might be looking to make changes to better build around Evander.
Valenzuela would be a very FC Dallas add. He won't turn 22 until late September, he's on Cincinnati's supplemental roster meaning he costs practically nothing (Capology and MLSRosterView peg him in the low to mid $100,00 range) with two contract options for '27 and '28.
For a more complete look, here's his player card from ChatCityTactics on SoccerDataVizer:
He's top 50 in MLS in g+ overall, right above teammate Kevin Denkey who has nine goals in league play. For context: Valenzuela would be 2nd on FCD in g+ ahead of current #2 Farrington by .24. That doesn't sound like a lot, but trust it's a significant number.
A Musa-Valenzuela duo would allow Moreno to stay on the left, Farrington to be the closer/Musa replacement that's been his best role, and give stability to Dallas' top end roster. With $1.6M in GAM, Dallas would be close to what Dado's value is at the moment. You might need to raise more GAM or just do a cash transfer, but there's room to work.
Yes, supporters might be gun shy at signing another attacking player from Cincy after Acosta last year. While understandable, this would be an upside play on a hopefully final piece as opposed to betting the entire farm on someone like Dallas did with Acosta. There are plenty of good options out there, and no matter who the Burn choose they need to bring in someone to play Robin to Musa's Batman.
(Note: In this DC centered comparison I'd probably make Farrington Nightwing, a superhero in his own right who spent time learning under Batman but stands on his own two feet. I'm not sure why you needed to know that, but you did.)
Two: A bona fide left sided defender
Since the departure of Marco Farfan to Tigres, Dallas' defensive left side has been in flux. Nolan Norris, Josh Torquato, Bernard Kamungo, Deedson and even Ran Binyamin have played either left back or left wing back in various tactical alignments. Kamungo's absence forced Dallas into a back four, but even so there hasn't been a singular left back defined.
Regardless of the how, Dallas would be well served finding someone who can hold down the left side consistently. While Norris has shown aptitude at left back, long term his best use is playing next to Osaze Urhoghide as the left center back in a four or LCB in a three man. Kamungo was good to great at left wing back, but it's worth wondering if his long term best utilization is a rotational piece. The others are either far away in Torquato or emergency stop gaps in Deedson/Binyamin.
Finding someone who can be a no doubt inked in starter at either LB or LWB would solve a lot of Dallas roster conundrums. I don't have any suggestions for this signing because the talent pool for this position is the ocean. That's a good thing because it means not only will the Toros have plenty to choose from, there's a good chance they'll find someone in their price range to fill the role. No matter the who, this is a spot that needs addressing.
Three: A high end goalkeeper
I brought this up when discussing World Cup questions a couple weeks ago, and there's no reason to not place it on the list. Michael Collodi and Jonathan Sirois are good keepers, but they're not elite keepers. We've seen teams like LAFC with Hugo Lloris and St. Louis City with Roman Burki improve their fortunes by making a splash signing between the posts.
Sam Hale
There's three options I've found as immediate big time upgrades to Dallas' current group if they so desire. If you want to go young-ish/in their prime I suggest Ersin Destanoğlu from Besiktas in Turkiye. Destanoğlu is 25, 6-5, and came up through the Besiktas academy including starting 35 games for the club during their Super Lig winning season in 2020-21.
His most recent campaign in Turkiye saw him start 25 games, allow 29 goals, and register a 1.16 goals allowed per 90. His save percentage was 73.7% coupled with eight clean sheet for the Black and Whites. Destanoğlu is in his prime, a title winner, and is notably taller than everyone in the Dallas keeper room so far.
What works the most in Dallas' favor? Destanoğlu's contract runs out on June 30th, meaning he's a free agent with no transfer fee needed. Transfermarkt has rumors that there's interest in Destanoğlu in both Turkiye and Belgium, both countries that MLS can compete with especially coming out of the North American World Cup. He's attainable, and if he turns in a couple strong seasons Dallas could have their next Maarten Paes but potentially better.
In the same mold as Destanoğlu, let me introduce you to Kosei Tani. The soon to be 26 year old has spent almost all his career in Japan, most recently with Machida Zelvia of Japan's top flight J1 League. For Zelvia, Tani started 37 games allowing just 33 goals for a sparkling 0.89 GA/90 and 14 clean sheets.
Tani would be a theoretically lesser signing than Destanoğlu for two reasons. The biggest? He's shorter; Tani is listed at 6-2 and a half. That'd put him over Collodi in stature and right in the neighborhood of Sirois. The other is his contract status. Transfermarkt says he's out of contract, while other sources say he's signed until January 2027. The latter seems more likely, which means Dallas would have to fork out a transfer fee for his services.
That might not hurt as much since Japan remains an underrated source for global talent discovery. While the Samurai Blue's 2-all draw with the Netherlands this past Sunday in Dallas might increase the visibility, there's still plenty of opportunity for other teams to export talent from the rising soccer power. Tani could be an under the radar import that checks a lot of the Burn's boxes.
Should Dallas want to go full Burki/Lloris, there is an option out there: Inter Milan's Yann Sommer. The 37 year old has done it all in Europe winning league titles in Switzerland, Germany, and Italy including this past year's Serie A with Inter. In that title campaign Sommer started 33 games, allowed 30 goals for a pristine 0.90 GA/90 with 15 clean sheets. Sommer's made Team of the Year in every league he's played in, is a three time Swiss Player of the Year, and has been a runner up twice in continental competitions including the Champions League.
Sommer's deal is up at June's end and the soon to be 38 year old (his birthday is in December) appears to be on the move. Ajax is a rumored destination, but what if Sommer followed his countryman Burki's path to MLS in winding down his career. He'd become an instant leader for Dallas, and despite his vertical challenges would instantly lock down the top spot in net. He'd be a great player to learn from, meaning when his presumptive two to three years in Frisco ended the goalie room would be well educated in every way.
Despite being a free agent, Sommer's salary would cost a pretty penny and almost certainly require a Designated Player spot while the other two would not. It's hard to put a price on experience and success however, something Sommer has more than just about any available goalkeeper. Should Dallas be 100% committed to improving the position and raising the level of championship experience on this squad, Sommer's signature Dallas should chase.
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