Minnesota United sits in a prime position this summer and holds a great opportunity to improve its roster with the transfer window opening this week.
Will the Loons take full advantage of it?
With 10 regular-season games to go, MNUFC has risen to third place in the Western Conference and would have home-field advantage if the MLS Cup Playoffs were to start tomorrow. United has advanced to semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup in September, and the Leagues Cup between MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX that starts next week.
Across nine MLS seasons, the Loons haven’t been this close to trophy since the Open Cup final in 2019 and an appearance in the West final in 2020.
On July 4, Apple TV commentators Neil Sika and Lloyd Sam whet fans’ appetites during the win over FC Dallas. In the first half, they shared a nugget on how MNUFC might approach the transfer window.
“You asked (Loons coach) Eric Ramsay how many signings they are expecting, and I couldn’t believe his answer,” Sam said.
“He said four,” Sika replied.
“Four signings,” Sam said. “Immediately what I think is who loses their place in the side because I don’t see much space for players who have performed pretty well this season.”
The Pioneer Press has learned it might end up end up being closer to two new players by the time the window closes Aug. 21.
For how consistently strong the Loons have been this season, there is a clear position of need: midfield.
United is dead last in possession (38.9%) in MLS, more than four points lower than any other club. An inability to control the ball late in games has been a stress test for its defense to close out results, and lately Minnesota has been buckling under the added weight. The latest example came Saturday, when the Loons allowed a stoppage-time equalizer in a 1-1 draw at Portland.
To improve this summer, Loons Chief Soccer Officer Khaled El-Ahmad has a lot of roster flexibility to make bigger deals happen.
Minnesota United defender Anthony Markanich (13) runs during the second half of an MLS soccer match against CF Montreal in St. Paul, Minn., Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
United opted to go with the roster-building model of two Designated Players and four Under-22 Initiative spots. Among those six total spots, the club could have up to three vacancies this summer.
Both DP spots are currently filled, but the Loons can open up one slot if the club decides to buy down attacking midfielder’s Joaquin Pereyra’s contract. The club’s willingness to do so remains unclear.
With the trade of Sang Bin Jeong to St. Louis City becoming official on Monday, MNUFC now has two vacant U22 spots. Nico Romero and Owen Gene, signed last winter, occupy the other two spots. Gene helps out at midfield but has not raised the Loons’ ceiling.
Minnesota has approximately $3.8 million in General Allocation Money — one of the highest sums around the league. And the club has not taken more expensive swings on players, with one of the lowest payrolls in MLS, 26th out of 30 teams. Plus, Joeng’s trade to St. Louis added $1.6 million to the Loons’ coffers.
The Loons also have cleared at least one international roster spot with rookie Dutch goalkeeper Wessel Speel headed on loan to Irish side Sherbourne FC.
Kelvin Yeboah #9 of Minnesota United celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal of the match in the first half against the New York Red Bulls at Sports Illustrated Stadium on June 28, 2025 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Vincent Carchietta/Getty Images)
Since joining Minnesota before the 2024 season, El-Ahmad has had more hits than misses in his two full windows in charge. Kelvin Yeboah, a DP, has 14 MLS goals across 32 matches. Pereyra started slow last season but has acclimated to MLS and has been a vital playmaker in 2024 with six primary assists and two goals. Both were brought in for less than $3 million.
Romero has climbed into a starting role in one of the stingiest defenses in the league, and Anthony Markanich was a deadline-day steal from St. Louis. The left wingback has been a surprising scorer this season with six goals in MLS.
The front office should feel an increased need to be aggressive this summer with a trio of key players down its spine now a year older — captain center back Michael Boxall is a first-time MLS All-Star at 36, while midfielders Wil Trapp and Robin Lod are both 32. Plus, MLS All-Star goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair is out of contract at the end of the year and seems poised to test free agency.
If the Loons don’t bring in more than two new players, they also appear unlikely to be losing two key players — wingback Joseph Rosales and forward Tani Oluwaweyi — despite proposals from other clubs.
“We really want to make sure that we do everything we can to keep the core of the group together and keep moving forward because we’re in a good place,” Ramsay said Saturday.
Ramsay’s success as the youngest coach in MLS has garnered interest from clubs back home in the U.K. He has passed on the overtures so far and will remain with MNUFC for the near future, but if the club doesn’t address its primary weakness, Ramsay would be more likely to exit without a trophy.
The clock is ticking.
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