5 reasons why you should tune into MLS

Breeding ground for future talent

Josef Martinez (right) has reinvented himself at Atlanta United

Just as a theatrical performance's success is often determined by the skill of its actors, a football league's reputation boils down to its players.

MLS football has seen a host of big names take to the field in recent years including Kaka, David Villa and Andre Pirlo but it has always been stamped with the same label. Many view MLS as a wasteland for yesterday's men - a league where the best go to end their careers. Whether or not this has been the case in the past, it is certainly not true now.

The most notable MLS starlet attracting attention has been Vancouver's Alphonso Davies. The 17-year-old midfielder has agreed a deal to join Bayern Munich in January after an impressive couple of seasons with the Canadians.

It is fair to say Josef Martinez flopped at Torino but he has reinvented himself at Atlanta United, where he has propelled himself to the top of the scoring charts with 30 goals for the season. Behind him midfield maestro Miguel Almiron has attracted great attention, with only Giovinco having more shots this term than the Paraguayan, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal.

There are too many rising stars in MLS to list but it is evident that players no longer cross the Atlantic from Europe for an easy retirement but rather they use the league to genuinely improve their game and that is something not to be missed.