Luciano Acosta Departs FC Dallas for Fluminense in $4M Transfer

FC Dallas have transferred midfielder Luciano “Lucho” Acosta to Brazilian Serie A side Fluminense, the club announced Friday. As reported by MLSsoccer.com, the deal is worth around $4 million plus add-ons, just six months after Acosta arrived from FC Cincinnati in a $5 million move.

The transfer opens a Designated Player slot for Dallas, whose only remaining DP is striker Petar Musa. “His legacy in MLS is undeniable,” said club president Dan Hunt. “While this chapter was shorter than we imagined, we respect his desire to be closer to home and thank him for his contributions this season.”

Acosta, 30, leaves as one of MLS’s most decorated players of the past decade. The Argentine No. 10 won the 2023 Landon Donovan MLS MVP award after leading Cincinnati to the Supporters’ Shield with a league-best 31 goal contributions. He is a four-time MLS Best XI selection and three-time All-Star.

His MLS career began with D.C. United from 2016-19, followed by a stint with Liga MX side Atlas FC before joining Cincinnati in 2021. Across nine MLS seasons, he tallied 77 goals and 98 assists in 272 regular-season games. This year, he played 21 matches for Dallas, scoring five goals and recording one assist.

Dallas, currently 12th in the Western Conference and five points out of the playoff picture under first-year head coach Eric Quill, have until the Secondary Transfer Window closes on Aug. 21 to make further additions.