MLS Stuns Community As Portland Timbers Eye Major European Signing Amid Son Heung-Min Buzz

“It’s a big onion that needs to be peeled,” remarked senior Athletic writer Felipe Cardenas while describing Inter Miami’s loan signing of Rodrigo De Paul. Despite already boasting stars like Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, the Herons raised eyebrows with yet another high-profile foreign arrival. And it’s not just happening in Fort Lauderdale—rival clubs are going big too, whether it’s Son Heung-Min inching closer to a move to LAFC or Thomas Müller being linked with the Vancouver Whitecaps. It’s a sign that there’s more to come—and in some places, it already has, like in Portland, where the Timbers are making moves of their own.

The Oregon-based club is the latest to enter the “big signature” club, as they have allegedly verbally agreed to sign Norway forward Kristoffer Velde from Olympiacos. Now, you may think the entity may not have much of a repo compared to the likes of Son or Muller in that case. But when it comes to his transfer fee, then boy, are we daring to exclude him from the list.

As per the deal announced by Fabrizio Romano on X, Velde, who has played for clubs across Denmark, Poland, and Greece, including FK Haugesund, Lech Poznan, and Olympiacos, respectively, will potentially be brought by Timbers as a Designated Player at a whopping price of €7 million, or close to $8.1 million.

Now, one may argue that this isn’t much of a transfer fee. Correct—it won’t even make the top 10 most expensive transfers in MLS history, which, by the way, is topped by Atlanta United for the signature of Emmanuel Latte Lath from Middlesbrough for a whopping $22 million. So then, why does the potential arrival of Kristoffer Velde remain a big deal?

MLS side Portland Timbers agree €7m deal to sign Kristoffer Velde as new DP from Olympiacos.

Verbal agreement in place between all parties. pic.twitter.com/2Y9gwyMY89

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 4, 2025