Luciano Acosta now has his new home in the MLS as FC Cincinnati traded him to FC Dallas for cash considerations. The Argentine no. 10 now arrives as a promising piece for Dallas as they seek to continue their huge rebuild that has been going on for quite some time now. It is expected that Acosta will be the main catalyst heading into the season now more than ever.

Dallas finished with an 11-15-8 record last season, good for the 11th seed in the Western Conference with just 41 points. They nearly had a chance to finish into the top eight but squandered a late standing lead in the season, which eventually cost them a chance to play in the postseason run for the MLS Cup.

Acosta brings in a new dynamic for Dallas FC while also getting a fresh start himself. Considering that he has a massive experience in the game, Dallas may well be an instant contender with the game now centered on him. Maybe this time we’ll see a Dallas ball team that is good to become a contender this season.

End of a Saga in Cincinnati

The Acosta trade marks an end to an era of dominance by Cincinnati. Lucho played for Cincinnati from 2021 to 2024 – all ending in tough exits for the club. Acosta had his best year in 2023 after he bagged multiple awards, such as the MVP and the Goal of the Year. he was also named to the MLS Best XI from 2022 to 2024 and has been an All-Star in those same years as well.

He led FC Cincinnati to a Supporters’ Shield finish in 2023, with the team amassing a 20-5-9 record for 69 points. However, the club would fall to Columbus Crew in the semifinals after a 3-2 affair, ending what could have been their magical season back then. So when frustrations mounted on top of one another, Cincinnati had to pull the trade after they made yet another early exit in the 2024 Playoffs.

Acosta played for a total of 125 games and scored a whopping total of 48 goals – the most he’s had for any team he’s played for. By the end of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, Acosta claimed that it may well be the end for him at the club. Reports initially claimed that Lucho would land in his native Argentina, with Estudiantes steadily pursuing him since the end of Cincinnati’s campaign.

"Lucho Acosta is a dynamic playmaker with an exceptional ability to create scoring opportunities and dictate the tempo of a match," said FCD sporting director André Zanotta. "His vision, technical skill and leadership on the field make him a perfect fit for our attacking philosophy."

A New Era for Dallas

Acosta now enters his ninth MLS season with Dallas, and the four-time MLS Best Xi honoree and three-time All-Star is expected to captain the Red and Blue to a promising level. There are hopes that Dallas may well finally break its long-standing championship drought since 1996, and fans can expect that Acosta will play a huge role in giving them a chance to expand their game to the postseason.

Dallas now puts Acosta alongside striker and club-record signing Petar Musa as the two main centerpieces for the Dallas attack unit – who also brought in a new head coach in Eric Quill. This winter alone, Dallas has also moved Alan Velasco to the Boca Juniors while also trading away Paul Arriola and Jesus Ferreira to the Seattle Sounders.