Minnesota United on Monday acquired the third veteran player in a week whom they expect to provide defensive depth and locker room presence — at a bargain price.
Minnesota United acquires Canadian international defender Doneil Henry
Henry is the third veteran signed over the past week without at a bargain price, which helps with the salary cap.
December 12, 2022 at 4:31PM
The Loons obtained nine-year MLS veteran Doneil Henry off waivers at center back, arguably the club's biggest area of need.
Last week, they signed veteran goalkeeper Clint Irwin to back up starter and Canadian World Cup team member Dayne St. Clair and signed veteran right back Zarek Valentin at a position missing 2019 MLS All Star Romain Metanire.
Both Henry and Valentin will fill supplemental roster slots so they don't count against the team's stretched salary cap.
"Each player had their own individual situation that made them a good fit for us," Loons technical director Mark Watson said. "These are all players we've known about for a long time. They're all good players. They all have a common denominator and that was just experience and good character and they can build our senior leadership with the club."
They also come at the right price for a team that has kept space to add a goal-scoring designated player if they find the right one — and if they buy down restricted designated player Luis Amarilla or Mender Garcia to make room.
"When you're looking at a player and the quality they bring, unfortunately we have a cap and have to be smart so we can work within that cap."
The Loons also have two Under-22, cap-friendly salary slots, one of which they will use on a young center back.
Starting center back Bakaye Dibassy is in France working and rehabilitating two to three times a day after he missed the season's end injury.
"We've gotten really positive reports," Watson said. "The big question is what does his return look like. We're very motivated to get him to return to his old form and be a big part of the group for 2023. We have a plan if it takes a bit longer to recover."
Dotson's road back
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Versatile midfielder Hassani Dotson is training at the team's Blaine facility on his way back from season-ending ACL surgery
"We'll bring him along in stages," Watson said. "We want to be really smart with him. It's a big injury and he's been out a long time, so we'll be very careful to bring him back at a pace his body allows. Hopefully, he'll have enough training and fitness built in that he can be available for the first game of the season."
No thanks
Watson said the club had discussions with the agents for Metanire and goalkeeper Tyler Miller about returning at a reduced salary, but each player's side declined. Metanire played just 22 minutes last season because of hamstring injuries. Miller signed with DC United instead.
"We had two players who were elite-level goalkeepers and it was never going to continue long term," Watson said. "Just the cap implication. That's too much to allocate to the goalkeeper position."
Waiting on Gonzalez
Watson said the club has made an offer to Monterey in Mexico's Liga LX to bring back Jonathan Gonzalez on a loan similar to the one that made him a Loon late last season.
"We're waiting to hear back," Watson said. "He's a good kid. He's a good player and he really fit well into the group. We'd love to have him back for 2023."
Minnesota started only two strikers against Seattle, leaving Sang Bin Jeong and Joseph Rosales to provide the width behind Teemu Pukki and Kelvin Yeboah.
