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Top MLS youngsters set to breakout in the 2023 season
Pedro Vite will be a crucial piece for the Vancouver Whitecaps midfield this season.
Major League Soccer has undergone a radical transformation in the past few years. Long considered a league where players closed out their European careers rather than start them, all that changed when Bayern Munich dished out as much as $22 million for a 17-year-old winger named Alphonso Davies in 2018.
After quickly becoming the team's first-choice left back and one of the best in the world, MLS was being seen in a new light. Young talent from the league suddenly became one of the hottest commodities in the global transfer market and MLS finally started earning respect as a league that develops players of the highest order.
This coming season will be no different, so here are just a few of the young players you should expect to see break out and stand out amongst the league’s best.
Kwadwo Opoku, Los Angeles FC
Centre Forward - 21-years-old
It feels kind of unfair to have anyone from LAFC on this list due to the simple fact that if you’re a youngster that can get consistent minutes on a team this stacked you’re bound to have a great year. With LAFC’s only real depth issue being at striker, that’s exactly Opoku’s case, who’s in a prime position to have a consistent starting role should he stay healthy.
Opoku was linked with a potential move away from the City of Angels but appears to be sticking around — a huge win for the club as his upside is enormous. He scored seven goals and added two assists in his first full MLS season, but if he remains at the tip of L.A.’s attacking trident, that number is sure to go up.
Andrés Reyes, New York Red Bulls
Centre Back - 23-years-old
With the departure of Aaron Long from Red Bulls, Andrés Reyes has a golden opportunity to showcase and develop an already formidable skillset. One of the best ball-playing centre backs in the league, Reyes has also established himself as an elite ball-moving defender, ranking 83rd and 84th percentile in key passes and progressive passes, respectively.
His lethal combination of speed and size, partnered with a very strong understanding of the game, means he has every tool needed to succeed as a defensive anchor in the modern game.
