FC Cincinnati has spent big in the player acquisition market since its inception a decade ago, chiefly on targets that casual soccer fans would not be familiar with. It spent a then-MLS inbound record $16.2 million to lift Kevin Denkey out of the Belgian first division in November 2024. Two months later, Evander joined from Portland Timbers in a $12 million deal, still a record for a MLS cash-for-player trade.
The list goes on. FCC forked over $13 million for Brenner (the first time) in February 2021, then the third-highest transfer in league history. (That total now is No. 25 all-time, a sign of increased investment league-wide.) In an attempt to replace Brenner two years later, ownership paid $7 million for the late Aaron Boupendza.
There have been high-profile near-misses, too. Thomas Müller, one of the greatest German soccer players ever, was the object of long-held Cincy affection before picking Vancouver.
There were reported 2024 recruitments of Josh Sargent (one of the top strikers in England’s second division) and midfielder Weston McKennie (a longtime regular for Italian power Juventus), a pair of starters on the 2022 U.S men’s World Cup squad. Neither deal came to fruition. Earlier this year, Sargent moved to Toronto for $22 million, suiting up against the locals in the teams’ 1-1 draw on Saturday. McKennie remains with Juventus.
Pursuing Neymar, however, is different. Any definitive book on soccer in the 21st century can’t be written without ample ink spilled on the Brazilian superstar, who starred in Barcelona’s fearsome “MSN” attacking trident with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, smashed the world transfer record in a shock move to Paris Saint-Germain, and has scored more goals for the Brazilian national team than Pele, Ronaldo, Romario, et. al. That’s like owning the Yankees’ all-time home run mark or the career scoring record for the Lakers.
In parlance that can only be attributed to the wacky world of transfer reporting, Cincinnati and Neymar’s “camp” have had “preliminary discussions” about Neymar, currently playing for his boyhood club Santos in Brazil’s top division, joining FCC. Translation: The two parties have matched on Soccer Hinge, but they haven’t really chatted much beyond exchanging details on each other’s jobs, the weather, and prestige television.
The 34-year-old talisman hasn’t really been the same since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, finally worn down by his lengthy history of leg injuries and pure mileage as he nears 800 career senior appearances for club and country. But for a decade he helped define the sport, ranking behind Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in global appeal and on-field production.
Many checkpoints must be broached and crossed to bring Neymar to Cincinnati. He has a contract with Santos through 2026. He would need to stay healthy, certainly a risk given his lengthy list of serious leg injuries. On FC Cincinnati’s side, the club presently has a full slate of Designated Players. And then Neymar would actually need to visit the Queen City and not be thrown off by our fair metropolis’s obsession with chili, flying pigs, and where someone went to high school.
Maybe this is nothing more than FC Cincinnati wanting to share with the world that their aim remains high in recruiting the best, particularly in a season defined by misery to this point. And maybe Neymar’s camp is willing to play along, eager to keep his name in the American news cycle as he chases a fourth (and perhaps final) appearance on Brazil’s World Cup squad. Keep an eye on this space for developments.
A welcome draw in Toronto
I’ll stop short of referring to FC Cincinnati’s draw over the weekend at Toronto as a “turning point” or a “step in the right direction.” But the group did well to escape with a draw, with Kenji Mboma Dem’s 92nd-minute counter-attack goal enough to steal a point.
The two main takeaways though were FCC’s continued staleness and Denkey’s temper. The big-money striker, full of frustration in the second half, picked up a yellow card in the 70th minute after his failed dive didn’t elicit a foul. He subsequently slammed his shoe. Minutes later, he put hands on the head/neck area of the Toronto player away from the action, picking up a second yellow and a game misconduct.
The sequence was an incredibly selfish display. The red card was the fourth red Cincy has seen this season, signs of a petulant team with quick-trigger emotions at the moment. Saturday evening’s match vs. Chicago is the first home appearance since March 22. We’ll see how FC Cincinnati handles its emotions back in front of home supporters.
Grant Freking is in his eighth year of FC Cincinnati coverage for Cincinnati Magazine.
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