When Minnesota United entered this recent FIFA international break, coach Adrian Heath said he and his staff had some evaluating to do and some "tough decisions" to make.
Three weeks later, the Loons resume their season with three consecutive road games that start Sunday at New England.
They do so with Heath seeking more production from his attacking players — particularly striker Luis Amarilla — and eyeing MLS' secondary transfer window that begins July 7 after already adding players such as Kervin Arriaga, Franco Fragapane, Adrien Hunou, Abu Danladi and Amarilla in the last two seasons.
"That's something we're actively looking at," Heath said of the transfer window. "We've got a bit of space and we've got some salary cap, so we are looking. We've got room to add one or two."
They have room and options because of midfielder Hassani Dotson's season-ending injury and defender Chase Gasper's trade to the LA Galaxy. Right back Romain Metanire's other hamstring — the left one — will sideline him again for weeks or longer after he injured it in his return in last Saturday's international friendly against SC Paderborn.
"As I've always said, if we do something, it won't just be taking us through the end of the season," Heath said. "If we're going to do anything, it'll be somebody we think can help us for the long term."
The most immediate help could be Amarilla, who scored his first goal since March 19 in that friendly.
He married, welcomed his first child and had COVID all in this season, but Heath is hopeful Amarilla — who once predicted he'd score 25 goals in a season — is finding his rhythm and stride.