Overview
- FC Cincinnati confirmed the signing on Friday, September 18, 2026, agreeing a contract that runs through June 2027 with a club option for 2027–28.
- The move followed a trial and medical tests with Cincinnati earlier in the week that convinced the club to offer a short-term deal.
- Cincinnati completed roster steps to make the signing possible, including placing Matt Miazga on waivers and acquiring an international roster slot reportedly for $200,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money.
- Malacia, 27, leaves Manchester United after his contract expired and arrives with nine senior caps for the Netherlands but a prolonged knee cartilage injury that kept him out for roughly 500–550 days and limited his minutes since.
- Cincinnati sit ninth in the MLS Eastern Conference and view the signing as both immediate defensive reinforcement and a chance for Malacia to regain form; fans and coaches will watch his fitness and playing time as key indicators of whether the move pays off.