Minnesota United’s current roster of 26 players needs not only replenishment but proven difference makers.
The summer transfer window, which opens next week, puts Loons Chief Soccer Officer Khaled El-Ahmad in the spotlight to make his first full round of adjustments. El-Ahmad, who arrived in Minnesota in late January, had a truncated first attempt at adding to the roster before the season started and through the primary transfer window into April.
El-Ahmad has since had 22 matches (65% of the season) to understand his team — both its potential in a club-record start to the season and its shortcomings in its current club-record six-match losing streak. El-Ahmad has been encouraged by the “resilience” of the team despite a recent skid which has pushed the Loons (8-9-5, 29 points) to 10th place and out of the nine-team Western Conference playoff field.
“My strategy towards this window was the same: it’s to strengthen the team and evaluate and try to be as proactive as we can within the means that we have. And the needs that we need to address,” El-Ahmad said in a wide-ranging interview on Wednesday.
How that pans out for the Loons is yet to be seen. It could range from Designated Players to next tier additions using Targeted Allocation Money to Under-22 Initiative signings and squad players.
El-Ahmad has been more active in moving on from current players than bringing new ones in, including selling two-time MLS All-Star midfielder Emanuel Reynoso to Club Tijuana in Mexico in May, and in June, versatile player Kervin Arriaga to Partizan in Serbia and the underwhelming center back Victor Eriksson to Hammarby in Sweden.
El-Ahmad said the Loons tried this season to extend Arriaga’s contract, which expired at season’s end, after he had performed well in a position switch to center back. But the 26-year-old sought a new challenge in Europe.
MNUFC had an outside offer for Arriaga last season, but El-Ahmad said they got a larger transfer fee for Arriaga this year: $500,000.
“We sold for profit,” El-Ahmad said. “I think it might be the first sale for profit, I’ll say in a long time, because I don’t know historically (at MNUFC). I said it from the beginning, I also want us to be a club that can develop and move players on. The other alternative is (Arriaga) would have left for free (after the season).”
The Loons have previously made one signing for the summer: attacker Samuel Shashoua through the 2024 season, with two club options for 2025-26. He has been training with MNUFC since early June and will be eligible for his first match on July 20 vs. San Jose.
The MLS summer transfer window opens next Thursday, July 18, and closes Aug. 14.
This story will be revised.
Briefly
Captain center back Michael Boxall has been called into the New Zealand team for the Summer Olympics in France. He will remain with Loons for next three MLS matches through July 20 and then head to France. The Kiwis have three group-stage matches: versus Guinea in Nice on July 25; against USA in Marseille on July 28 and versus France in Marseille on July 31. The Loons play two Leagues Cup matches during that span: against Seattle Sounders on July 26 and they host Necaxa on July 30. … Goalkeeper Clint Irwin (groin) returned to the open portion of training on Wednesday. … Right back DJ Taylor (hamstring) might be out a month after subbing out of the 2-1 loss to L.A. Galaxy on Sunday.
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