Neymar, CR7 and the MLS moves that never happened

Several high-profile footballers came close to a Major League Soccer (MLS) move by the end of 2022, though many of these transfers were not realized. Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese star, was nearing the end of his four-year tenure at Juventus and was approached by Saudi Arabia and Manchester City, the latter of which was reportedly on his radar despite the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's age.

Inter Miami and LA Galaxy had also shown interest, with Sporting Kansas City emerging as the most serious MLS contender. Ronaldo, who was unhappy at Manchester United at the time, eventually signed with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.

Luka Modric, another former Real Madrid teammate of Ronaldo, was also linked with MLS interest. Modric, approaching the end of his contract with Madrid in 2024, was targeted by San Diego FC and Inter Miami. However, he opted to extend his contract with Madrid by another year before moving to AC Milan in July 2025.

San Diego FC also made moves to sign other notable players, including defender Sergio Ramos and goalkeeper Keylor Navas. However, both deals fell through. Perhaps the most promising missed opportunity was the reunion of Barcelona's MSN trio – Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Neymar – in MLS. Inter Miami had been eager to bring the trio together, but Neymar ultimately signed a one-year extension with Santos, retiring from professional football by December 2026.