Meet the new Loons for the 2021 season
By Star Tribune and
Jerry Zgoda
April 16, 2021 at 4:06AM
Position: Forward
Height: 6-1
Hometown: Cordoba, Argentina
How acquired: On a one-year loan finalized last week, with an option to buy his rights at season's end.
• Former Boca Juniors No. 9 signed as the starting striker, played two-plus seasons with Loons star Emanuel Reynoso. Abila, 31, called Reynoso's praise for MLS and Minnesota a determining factor in his decision to leave Argentina.
Juan Agudelo
Position: Forward
Height: 6-1
Hometown: Manizales, Colombia
How acquired: Signed in March to a one-year contract with a second-year team option.
• The Colombian-born and American-raised striker has scored 141 goals in 229 games during 10 MLS seasons, most recently with Inter Miami FC last season. Still is just 28. Loons coach Adrian Heath knows him well.
Niko Hansen
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-10
Hometown: Randers, Denmark
How acquired: Rights obtained from Houston in a March trade for $125K GAM, signed to a two-year contract with a team option for a third.
• The 2017 MLS Super Draft's ninth player, taken by Columbus, impressed Loons coach Adrian Heath in preseason with his versatility and scoring knack. The 26-year-old was born in Denmark, raised in California.
Foster Langsdorf
Position: Forward
Height: 5-10
Hometown: Portland, Ore.
How acquired: Signed in October from USL Championship's Reno 1868 FC
• A product of the Portland Timbers Academy, the 25-year-old signed a homegrown contract and played two MLS games with them. He played one game with the Loons late last season after he played a season with USL Championship's Reno 1868 FC.
Callum Montgomery
Position: Defense
Height: 6-3
Hometown: Nanaimo, British Columbia
How acquired: December trade with FC Dallas that sent 2022 fourth-round pick and $50,000 GAM if he reached certain parameters.
• Selected fourth overall in the same 2019 draft when the Loons later took Dayne St. Clair and Hassani Dotson. The center back, 23, played on Canada's U-23 team that lost to Mexico in a Concacaf Olympic qualifying semifinal, but hasn't made his MLS debut.
Jukka Raitala
Position: Defense
Height: 6-1
Hometown: Kerava, Finland
How acquired: Sent 2020 draftee Andrew Booth's rights to CF Montreal for Raitala's rights, then signed him to a new contract to compete with Chase Gasper at left back.
• The fifth-year MLS veteran, 32, is a Finnish national teammate of Loons midfielder Robin Lod. Started 63 of 69 games in Montreal the past three seasons.
D.J. Taylor
Position: Defense
Height: 5-9
Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.
How acquired: Signed in February.
• Loons signed USL Championship veteran for youth (he's 23) and depth behind starting right back Romain Metanire after he played four seasons with his home-state North Carolina FC.
Wil Trapp
Position: Defense
Height: 5-8
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
How acquired: Signed as a free agent in January after he played for Inter Miami last season
• Loons pounced to sign the former United States men's national team member and MLS 2016 All-Star early in free agency for the "No. 6" defensive midfielder spot where vet Ozzie Alonso has played the past two seasons. Heath calls Trapp, 28, an "incredible continuity, possession player" who played a similar system in Columbus and is the "right age."
DON'T FORGET …
The Loons have loaned — or could loan — young prospects such as 2020 first-round pick Noah Billingsley (to Phoenix Rising FC), 2021 first-rounders Justin McMaster and Nabi Kibunguchy and homegrown striker Patrick Weah elsewhere so they can get more playing time.
Minnesota started only two strikers against Seattle, leaving Sang Bin Jeong and Joseph Rosales to provide the width behind Teemu Pukki and Kelvin Yeboah.
