Which Premier League Stars Have Played In The MLS?

This week, former Crystal Palace winger Wilfred Zaha secured a loan move to Charlotte FC from Turkish side Galatasaray, having been at Lyon on loan for the first half of the season. He hasn’t really got going in Turkey since his move from the Premier League in 2023, so this loan move might be what he needs. The 32-year-old made over 450 appearances for Crystal Palace, scoring 90 goals, and he is not the first former Premier League star to move to the USA.

Christian Benteke - DC United

Another former Crystal Palace player, Christian Benteke made 162 Premier League appearances in the capital as well as playing for Aston Villa and Liverpool. Sometimes considered a bit of a joke in the Premier League because of his stature on the pitch, Benteke scored a respectable 86 goals during his time in England. He was awarded the Premier League player of the month award in April 2015 after scoring a hattrick for Aston Villa against rivals West Brom.

Time stood still for Christian Benteke ⏳ pic.twitter.com/oiOLoYrKlh

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 12, 2023

He left Crystal Palace in 2022 and joined DC United in the MLS. Since joining he has scored 40 goals and lit up the USA with his ability that we all knew was there but rarely got to see in his last few seasons in the English top flight. In the 2024 season, he won the golden boot with 23 goals in 30 matches.

Hugo Lloris - LAFC

World Cup winner and Tottenham legend Hugo Lloris struggled in his last season in the Premier League, but having joined LAFC about a year ago, he is looking back to his World Cup winning self. Lloris played 361 in the Premier League for Spurs after joining from Lyon in 2012 and kept 127 clean sheets giving him a 35% clean sheet rate in his time in England, higher than Emi Martinez and David James.

The 38-year-old originally signed for just the 2024 season, however there is an option to extend for another two years, and considering he played 33 league games for LAFC last season, I would fully expect that option to be taken, despite the Frenchman’s age. He has been a huge hit in the MLS ever since his debut clean sheet against Seattle Sounders.

Teemu Pukki - Minnesota United

Norwich City really struggled in the Premier League, but their front man Teemu Pukki did not. He only played in two Premier League seasons, the 2019/20 and the 2021/22 editions, but still managed 22 goals as Norwich were relegated in each. In his first ever month in the English top flight, he won the Player of the Month award. In total, he scored 88 goals for the Norfolk club in 210 games before joining Minnesota United in 2023.

Official. Minnesota United sign Teemu Pukki to a Designated Player contract through June 2025. 🇫🇮🇺🇸 #MLS

Former Norwich striker accepted two year deal to try new experience in MLS. pic.twitter.com/flVc8ltFO5

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 27, 2023

In his first season in the MLS, he scored 10 goals in just 14 appearances, but since then he hasn’t done so well. At 34 years old, it appears as if his age has caught up with him, as last year he managed just four goals in 21 games. His contract at the club runs out in the summer and it looks unlikely that it will be renewed.

Luis Suarez - Inter Miami

It is 2025, and the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets are all playing together again. They all left Barcelona behind due to age a few seasons ago, but their reunion hasn’t been quite as successful as when they were together in Spain. Luis Suarez scored 69 league goals for Liverpool during his three and a half year stay before joining Barcelona where he became one of the greatest goalscorers of all time.

Here we are! ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/qZYaCzoXf1

— Luis Suárez (@LuisSuarez9) January 14, 2025

He left the Camp Nou in 2020 and spent a couple of years at Atletico Madrid where he won the league. Following his departure from Spain he played in Uruguay and Brazil before he got the call from Inter Miami in January 2024. He scored 20 goals in 27 games in his debut season and has extended his contract until the end of the 2025 season.

Olivier Giroud, Stuart Armstrong, Sam Sturridge and Eric Choupo-Moting are also all former Premier League players who are currently playing in the USA however other than Surridge, they are yet to get their MLS careers going.