Casual sports fans in the United States may not think very highly of association football (they prefer the gridiron version), but the growing talent level in Major League Soccer is making the league more and more popular by the year.
Major League Soccer has made significant headway in improving club football by expanding to massive markets like New York City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Chicago – and in expanding, they’ve let in a lot of sensational talent that could definitely compete at the highest levels of European football as well.
SEE ALSO: Arsene Wenger wants to bring former midfielder back to Arsenal; £7.1m transfer in the works
And as the 2015 season comes to a close, opportunity will knock for clubs either hoping to escape relegation or get that last piece to a championship puzzle. Perhaps that opportunity will come in the form of a transfer or loan move by an MLS superstar this January.
SEE MORE:
Diego Costa heading for Chelsea axe as club consider Gonzalo Higuain as replacement
Bad news for Liverpool, as Zlatan reveals where he wants to play next
Here is a look at 11 MLS stars that could be big targets for Premier League clubs this January:
Adam Kwarasey (Portland Timbers) to Chelsea
Need a goalkeeper? How about a 27-year-old stopper with 13 clean sheets plus a solid save rate on penalty kicks? Asmir Begovic clearly isn’t doing enough, recording just two shutouts all season, and Kwarasey might be a better bet to challenge Thibaut Courtois.
Andrea Pirlo (NYC FC) to Arsenal
Pirlo may be a bit long in the tooth, but since moving to Yankee Stadium after a long career in Milan and Juventus, he has looked sharp, recording several assists and making the expansion NYC FC team look more than serviceable.
With injuries mounting at midfield, Arsenal could use a veteran talent to lead the team until they’re back at full strength.
Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls) to Liverpool
Wright-Phillips’s tenure with the Red Bulls has made him the one of the most popular players in MLS. With 27 goals in 32 matches in 2014, Wright-Phillips won the Golden Boot and set an MLS record for goals in a season.
He added another 18 goals this season and would be a solid third option at forward for Jurgen Klopp for when Christian Benteke inevitably gets hurt again.
Kei Kamara (Columbus Crew) to Tottenham Hotspur
A 12-year MLS veteran, Kamara has been on a tear in the United States with a league-leading 24 goals. He has 40% of the scoring output for the 2nd-highest scoring club in Major League Soccer.
Pair Kamara with Harry Kane for a short while and the team could make a serious run at the EPL title.
Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders FC) to Newcastle United
The way Newcastle United are playing offensively, they may want to give their former starlet a call and see if he can keep them out of the relegation zone. Martins has been a scoring machine since moving to Seattle, racking up 15 goals and scoring the Goal of the Week three times.
Cristian Maidana (Philadelphia Union) to West Ham United
Dimitri Payet’s injury is a huge blow, but there’s a solid midfield option in the U.S. who can pick up where Payet left off. With 15 assists this year, Maidana is one of the top midfielders in MLS.
David Villa (NYCFC) to Manchester City
Spain’s all-time leading scorer has been reborn as the forward at NYCFC. With 18 goals and numerous assists, David Villa has continued his streak of seasons with double-digit goals in years where he has at least 20 appearances.
David Villa has never played for the Premier League, but he might prove to be an even better forward option than Bony while Sergio Aguero is still recovering from his injury, and NYFC’s connection with Man City could help too.
Cyle Larin (Orlando City SC) to Aston Villa
The fastest-rising star in MLS, Larin had 17 goals this past season in only about half a season for the Florida-based football club. And at age 20, his stock is only going to rise. With Aston Villa close to relegation, they need a bright young star to come in and score the goals they so desperately require.
Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC) to Manchester United
Considered a lock for the MLS Player of the Year, the former Juventus star led the league in both goals and assists. He’s a star forward still in his prime, an assist wizard, has a trophy-winning pedigree from Serie A titles – what more could Man United fans possibly want in a guy as they make a run at the Premier League?
Steven Gerrard (LA Galaxy) to Liverpool
Maybe not as a player – struggling to make scoring opportunities despite months as the Galaxy’s star midfielder – but Gerrard would make an excellent assistant to Klopp.
Didier Drogba (Montreal Impact) to Chelsea
The way the Blues are playing offensively right now, Drogba could easily come in and whip his former teammates back into shape. He found the goal 12 times in just 14 appearances for the Canadian club in the past three months.