Emanuel Reynoso cleared to play as Minnesota United's training heats up

Minnesota United star midfielder Emanuel Reynoso has been cleared by MLS and his club to participate fully in preseason training and games, coach Adrian Heath said.

Reynoso and Argentine teammate Franco Fragapane were due to arrive in Minnesota on Tuesday and undergo medical examinations before joining in workouts as soon as Wednesday afternoon.

Argentina news outlets two weeks ago reported Reynoso is facing a potential trial in his hometown of Cordoba for a December 2021 arrest in which he was accused of making threats with a gun and beating a 16-year-old minor with it.

"As far as we're concerned, it's as you were, as normal," Heath said. "He's cleared for all first-team training."

Asked about the potential for a trial, Heath said, "That was last year. This year we move on and everybody is as we were."

Several other players are still due to arrive for their first training.

Starting goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair was given a few extra days off to recover from a month spent with Canada at the World Cup in Qatar and is expected back Thursday. Robin Lod is representing the club in Reynoso's place at the annual MLS marketing tour in California and is due back Friday.

Starting left back Kemar Lawrence is expected back from Jamaica later this week or by time the Loons start training in Orlando next week. Starting center back Bakaye Dibassy trained and rehabbed a season-ending injury back home in France.

Heath acknowledged a South Korean news report that connected his team with 24-year-old striker Cho Gue-sung, who scored twice for South Korea in the World Cup. Sports Chosun reported the Loons made a $5 million offer to fill a position of need. Teams in Scotland and Germany also reportedly are pursuing him.

Heath said he didn't want to discuss specific players the Loons hope to add, but…

"I'd be lying if he wasn't of interest, the way he played in the World Cup showed everybody," Heath said. "But we'll have to wait and see. There has been some dialogue there."

The Loons also will seek to add what Heath calls "two or three quality pieces" that "we hope to do some business with before the season starts."

One is a scorer — such as Gue-sung — signed to a designated-player slot.

Also included are two young defenders — at least one a center back — under MLS' 22-year-old initiative for a team aiming to get younger. Another wing player is possible as well.

Heath said versatile midfielder Hassani Dotson has "looked great" in training so far on his road back from season-ending ACL surgery last April. Heath is hopeful Dotson will be cleared to play by March 1.

"If he does, that would be great for us," Heath said. "That'd be like signing a new player."

Defender Zarek Valentin is one of three MLS veterans — Doneil Henry and Clint Irwin are the others — the Loons signed to add depth and leadership under cap-friendly contracts.

Valentin said he's in Minnesota because the Loons are perennial playoff contenders and it's the closest team to his wife's family in Saskatchewan, Canada.

"It's a two-day drive, but I know there's a direct flight to Saskatoon," he told reporters. "Hopefully Delta will implement that. If you guys have any pull, that would be great."

Valentin was among those players who did well in "beep" fitness training tests Monday and Tuesday. So, too, did Luis Amarilla, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Wil Trapp and Tani Oluwaseyi.

When asked about preseason fitness tests back in his day, Heath said, "We had a different bleep test. I think it was different back in them days. There was no GPS telling you how far you'd run."