5 stars who have moved to the MLS for the 2018 season
The Major League Soccer will kick-off its 23rd season this weekend with Toronto FC looking to become the first team since the 2012 LA Galaxy to successfully defend the title.
The league has lost a lot of star power in the off-season, as Kaka and Andrea Pirlo have decided to retire from the game, but there are still many exciting players in the league like Sebastian Giovinco and David Villa.
There will also be plenty of new talents in the league, and here's look at five of the biggest names who have decided to make the move across the pond for the 2018 season.
#5 Ezequiel Barco (Atlanta United)
Ezequiel Barco might not be a household name just yet, but football fans should hear plenty of him in the next 10-plus years. The Argentinan attacking midfielder, who turns 19 at the end of the month, is the MLS' new record signing. Atlanta United paid $15 million to procure him from Independiente.
Independiente won its second-ever Copa Sudamericana in 2017, with Barco leading the charge. He scored a penalty in the return leg against Brazil's Flamengo, which turned out to be the winning goal in the matchup.
The Avellaneda side has produced a lot of Argentinan footballing greats down the years with Sergio Agüero currently being the most famous one among active players. Barco will have to work hard to reach the same level, but he has all the talent in the world to be a star for a big European team in the future.
It's an interesting move from the youngster so early in his career, but he has landed at a nice spot with Atlanta being a very ambitious side that already has a number of South Americans in its ranks. They had a great debut season in the league, reaching the playoffs straight away. With Barco in the team, the chances of going even further should be much higher.