What happened: The 27-year-old left back trained with Cincinnati this week during a trial before reaching an agreement Thursday. Malacia has been a free agent since leaving Manchester United this summer after an injury-hit stretch in England and a loan spell at PSV Eindhoven.

Why it matters: Cincinnati gets another defensive piece after waiving Matt Miazga, and the club was ninth in the Eastern Conference when the move came together. The signing places Malacia into an MLS playoff race that includes a meeting with Lionel Messi's Inter Miami next month.

What to watch: Watch for Cincinnati to complete Malacia's registration and set his first availability. The club's match against Inter Miami next month is an early date to track.