Darren Yamashita / Imagn Images
Nashville SC has signed star free agent winger Cristian Espinoza, sources briefed on the deal tell The Athletic.
Espinoza, who spent the last seven seasons with the San Jose Earthquakes, joins as Nashville’s third designated player. He was one of the most coveted free agents on the market, with a number of offers within MLS and abroad. The Portland Timbers were among the final clubs in the Espinoza sweepstakes, sources say.
In Nashville, the 30-year-old Espinoza adds to a star-studded attack alongside incumbent DPs Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge. He is the Earthquakes’ all-time assists leader (83) and departed this winter after his contract expired. He joined San Jose in 2019 and has quietly been one of the league’s most consistent and productive attackers. In 2025, Espinoza had four goals and 12 assists, helping keep San Jose in the playoff race until the final day of the regular season. He has had at least eight assists in every season (including the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign) and has proven durable, having missed only nine of a possible 227 regular season games.
Despite his individual excellence, San Jose only made the first round of the playoffs once in his time with the club, never having hosted a postseason game nor advancing to a subsequent round.
Nashville believes Espinoza is a perfect fit in their system, both immediately and in the long-term. His addition provides big-time goal scoring support for Mukhtar and Surridge, who combined to score 40 goals in MLS play last year. The rest of Nashville’s squad combined for just 17 goals, and the third-highest individual who had four goals, Jacob Shaffelburg, was traded to LAFC. Alleviating that scoring burden from the two stars – and providing more creativity from which they can benefit – was a top priority for Nashville this winter, and the versatility of the club’s key attackers will be valuable for head coach B.J. Callaghan.
Espinoza takes the DP spot opened by the departure of veteran center back Walker Zimmerman, who joined Toronto FC in free agency. He is the biggest signing by Nashville this winter, following the addition of defenders Maxwell Woledzi and Thomas Williams, plus forward Warren Madrigal.
Nashville enters 2026 looking to build off having won the club’s first trophy in 2025, when it lifted the U.S. Open Cup. Nashville is back in the Concacaf Champions Cup as a result (it drew Canadian Premier League champion Atlético Ottawa in next month’s first round) and is also projected to again be one of the top teams in MLS’ Eastern Conference.