Minnesota United opens its ninth MLS season on Saturday, and the Loons will do so in style as the first game on the league’s slate.
With MVP Lionel Messi and Inter Miami’s game moved to Saturday night, the MNUFC at Los Angeles FC 3:30 p.m. matinee will be the initial kickoff of the new year.
“It’s a nice position for us to be in, I think,” Ramsay said. “It has the feeling of a really big game.”
With United looking to build off its run to the Western Conference semifinals in 2024, here are six talking points going into a new season.
A strike-fear goalscorer
United has not had a player score 15 or more goals in a 34-match MLS season since joining the league in 2017. Christian Ramirez remains the single-season record holder with 14 during that first year.
Thirteen of the 14 teams in the West have eclipsed that mark; expansion side San Diego has yet to play a game. St. Louis City, which joined in 2023, is the only other team that has not reached 15.
While Bongi Hlongwane led Minnesota with 11 league goals a year ago, Kelvin Yeboah and Tani Oluwaseyi are more likely to break through that glass ceiling. Ramsay’s new two-forward formation might be mutually beneficial for one in the athletic duo to do so.
Yeboah scored seven in one-fourth of the 2024 season, while Oluwaseyu had eight in an injury-and-absence interrupted 1,084 minutes last year.
Yeboah led team 0.89 goals per 90 minutes, while Oluwaseyi was at 0.66. If those marks stay up or only dip a bit, records will be smashed.
Ramsay’s status
The 33-year-old’s ambition has been apparent since Day 1 in Minnesota. The former Manchester United assistant took a leap to become the youngest head coach on MLS last season. He has been on a sky-high trajectory since he became the youngest Brit to earn a key coaching license from UEFA in 2019.
Ramsay has never promised how long he will be in Minnesota and loose links to his second job have already started with the Welshman tied to an opening at Swansea City.
Ramsay said Thursday that is a “logical conclusion” given how he is from there, started his career at Swansea’s youth ranks and has been up for the job when there have been previous vacancies.
“There is a bit of smoke without fire there,” Ramsay said. “It’s certainly nothing that I’ve had on my radar nor anything I’ve spoken to anyone about.”
Ramsay said his “relatively” good start in Minnesota will likely lead to more links to other jobs, but emphasized: “I’m very much focused on what I’m doing here and I’m really excited for the season to start.”
Difference makers
The Loons added three new players in the primary transfer window, but none of youngsters appear immediately capable of pushing the level within the Loons’ starting XI. MNUFC added 24-year-old South Korean midfielder Hoyeon Jung and two Under-22 Initiative signings in Argentine center back Nicolas Romero and French midfielder Owen Gene.
The club has emphasized patience will be needed with the trio, given their youth and need for an adjustment period to a new country and league.
How soon can they start cutting their teeth and more importantly push for major playing time?
Stalwarts stay
Three of MNUFC’s top five in minutes played last season are another year over 30: Michael Boxall, now 36, led team with 2,835 minutes in 2024; Robin Lod, 31, played 2,387; and Wil Trapp, 32, was on the field for 2,296.
They will be relied upon again, but Ramsay said he will be conscious of their workloads, especially Boxall and Lod after international duties, but the leadership within the three is instrumental to the first team.
“We also strike that balance between making sure we see a really fit, fresh Robin, Wil and Boxy for as long as possible,” Ramsay said.
One offseason goal for the Loons was revitalizing the roster with younger players and jettisoning striker Teemu Pukki, winger Franco Fragapane and center back Micky Tapias in the offseason helped the cause.
Pereyra’s time
New Designated Player Joaquin Pereyra had an underwhelming first 10 games — plus playoffs — in Minnesota. He registered only one assist and no goals in the regular season and never played more than 69 minutes in a match.
That’s not good enough.
Loons’ leaders this preseason have been opening asking for more goal contributions from its Argentine midfielder and he was delivering as part of the three-man midfield in preseason, but now he must do it when it matters most.
Contract statuses
Two Loons regulars, midfielder Hassani Dotson and goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, came to Minnesota together in the 2019 draft class. Could they leave in the same season, too?
Both are in the final option year of their contracts and Dotson requested a trade away from Minnesota during preseason, while St. Clair was noncommittal on his future in black and blue immediately following the 2024 season. The Canadian goalie wants the best spot to play as he prepares for the 2026 World Cup.
Loons have a handful of players consistently courted by other clubs, with left wingback Joseph Rosales on that shortlist. His Honduran friend Kervin Arriaga was transferred to a club in Serbia midseason in 2024 and another exit of Rosales for the right price would not be surprising.
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