Three Players with a Point to Prove in Major League Soccer This Season
The 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) season is fast approaching, and several players will be under the microscope when the action gets underway.
Whether due to past struggles, high-profile transfers or the weight of expectations, they will be keen to prove their mettle. Here are three players who fit into that category.Kevin Denkey - FC Cincinnati
Cincinnati paid a record $16.2 million to sign Togolese striker Kevin Denkey after an outstanding season with Cercle Brugge in Belgium.
The 24-year-old bagged 15 goals and seven assists in 28 appearances across all competitions for the Jupiler Pro League side last season.
Many people expected his next move to be a switch to one of the top five European leagues. Denkey chose a move to the United States and will be eager to repay the faith shown in him.
Corey Baird, Kevin Kelsy, Sergio Santos and Yuya Kubo were all uninspiring in the number nine position last season.
Aaron Boupendza was another option, but consistent off-field issues and the failure to strike a partnership with Lucho Acosta forced Cincinnati to loosen their purse strings.
With Cincinnati splashing the cash on Denkey, the pressure is on him to deliver.
Lachlan Brook - Real Salt Lake
Lachlan Brook joined Real Salt Lake at the beginning of the 2024 season after shining in his native Australia with Western Sydney Wanderers.
Unfortunately, he played only a bit-part role in his first season with the club due to inconsistency. Brook has a major point to prove this term.
The Aussie winger knows he has to take the bull by the horns and showed a glimpse of his potential as Real Salt Lake drew with St Louis City SC in their pre-season showdown.
Head coach Pablo Mastroeni deployed Brook as a number ten. He rewarded the manager's faith by curling home a stunning left-footed strike to secure a 1-1 result.
Brook finished as joint top scorer in his final season in Australia and his exploits inevitably attracted interest from the local betting industry.
He fired Wanderers into contention for the A-League play-offs, forcing online betting sites in Australia to slash their odds to win the title.
However, they avoided making a sizeable payout to Aussie sports bettors as Wanderers missed out on the post-season showdown by just two points.
Brook can be a talisman for Real Salt Lake under Mastroeni's more possession-based approach. They need someone to convert their dominance into goals, and the Aussie is their best bet.
Emiro Garces - LA Galaxy
LA Galaxy centre-half Emiro Garces broke into the first team towards the end of last season and solidified the rearguard.
He will be determined to prove he deserves to be a mainstay in the starting line-up in the 2025 season and that last term was no fluke.
The season was already underway when Garces arrived, but he managed to adapt despite a language barrier and started showing the levels required.
From the point he entered the team, Galaxy’s non-penalty xG allowed dropped from a phenomenally rancid 1.46 per game to 1.05.
This number held firm across those final four regular-season games and all five Audi MLS Cup play-off games, at the end of which the Galaxy claimed their sixth title.
Recording 1.05 throughout the season would have put LA in the top five, which shows how invaluable Garces has been in the backline. He improved the defence and will be itching to do it again this season.
The Colombian defender is by no means the finished product. He still struggles in aerial duels due to his timing and failure to anticipate danger.
However, the 23-year-old has all the raw tools to become one of the best in America, potentially landing LA a massive transfer fee further down the line. He is one to watch this season.