Minnesota United's next general manager and head coach will inherit a roster of puzzle pieces assembled by fired predecessors Adrian Heath and technical director Mark Watson.
Minnesota United roster analysis: Decisions about players must be made
The Loons will have a new coach — and likely a new general manager — tasked with deciding which of Adrian Heath's acquisitions remain in the team's future plans.
October 26, 2023 at 8:01PM
Several are foundational commitments signed through 2025 or 2026, to contracts as large as newcomer Teemu Pukki's $3.55 million salary and star midfielder Emanuel Reynoso's $2.15 million this season. Others are decisions needed on players with expiring contracts, such as right back DJ Taylor, or with team options.
Some are seemingly simple, such as keeping improving 22-year-old Joseph Rosales and fellow Honduran Kervin Arriaga. Some could take some thought, like veterans Michael Boxall, Wil Trapp and Ján Gregus, depending on roster fit and cost.
Here's a look at that roster:
ATTACKERS
Teemu Pukki
Center forward, age 33
Country: Finland
Contract expires: June 30, 2025 (team option through December)
Signed as a designated player to score, he delivered 10 goals in 14 games — four of them in one game — despite a slow start when he went eight consecutive games without one.
Bongokuhle Hlongwane
Right wing, age 23
Country: South Africa
Contract expires: Dec. 31, 2024 (team option for 2025)
He became a breakout star by scoring two goals each in three consecutive Leagues Cup games, but he didn't score in the final five regular-season games on his way back from a knee injury.
Sang Bin Jeong
Center forward, age 21
Country: South Korea
Contract expires: Dec. 31, 2025 (club option for 2026)
He played less and less as season progressed and scored once in 23 appearances, nine of them starts mostly early on.
Franco Fragapane
Left wing, age 30
Country: Argentina
Contract expires: Dec. 31, 2024
He played a lesser role in 2023, scoring one goal in 24 appearances — 14 of them starts — during a year he missed a month midseason.
Don't forget: Designated player Mender García. The Colombian striker has team options for 2024 and 2025 or could be bought down from his DP status.
MIDFIELDERS
Emanuel Reynoso
Attacking midfielder, age 27
Country: Argentina
Contract expires: Dec. 31, 2025 (team option for 2026)
Heath and Watson did so much to get him here as a designated player. Reynoso calls himself committed to the club and new management. "I have lots of desire to continue," he said through a translator. "I'm very content and satisfied with what the club is doing. Let's keep moving forward."
Robin Lod
Midfielder, age 30
Country: Finland
Contract expires: Dec. 31, 2025 (team option for 2026)
Versatile and valuable veteran had May surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. He was ahead of schedule late this season for a return starting next season.
Caden Clark
Midfielder, age 20
Hometown: Medina, Minn.
Contract expires: June 30, 2025
Last big move made by Heath and Watson to bring a young, gifted player back home to Minnesota starting next season. He's on loan from RB Leipzig to a Denmark second-division team until then.
Hassani Dotson
Midfielder, age 26
Hometown: Federal Way, Wash.
Contract expires Dec. 31, 2024 (team option for 2025)
Heath often called him the team's best player late in a season that often saw him moving up into a left-side attacking role.
Joseph Rosales
Central midfielder, age 22
Country: Honduras
Contract expires: Dec. 31, 2023 (team options 2024 and 2025)
He showed his versatility by playing anywhere from left back to left wing until a hamstring injury sidelined him late in the season.
Kervin Arriaga
Midfielder, age 25
Country: Honduras
Contract expires: Dec. 31, 2023 (team option for 2024)
His season-ending knee surgery in early August wasn't season-ending at all. He was back by late September and could take over at defensive midfield in 2024.
Will they return?
• Captain Wil Trapp's contract expires at a position where the club has other options. "I would love to," he said when asked if he expects to be back.
• The Loons brought back Ján Gregus when Arriaga was injured, and Gregus started 10 of the 12 games he played. The team has an option for Gregus, but the midfield may already be full.
• Ismael Tajouri-Shradi signed a one-year contract in July, including 2024 and 2025 club options.
DEFENDERS
Miguel Tapias
Left center back, age 26
Country: Mexico
Contract expires: Dec. 31, 2025 (team option for 2026)
He played 32 of 34 games this season — and started all 32 after Heath and co. discovered him in a 2019 friendly against Tapias' Pachuca club team.
Michael Boxall
Right center back, age 35
Country: New Zealand
Contract expires: Dec. 31, 2023 (team option for 2024)
A Loon since their inaugural MLS season in 2017, Boxall's expiring contract has a team option. He wants to return. "I'm not too worried," he said. "I'm a one-day-at-a-time guy and everything else will take care of itself down the road."
Ethan Bristow
Left back, age 21
Country: England
Contract expires: Dec. 31, 2025 (team option for 2026)
He started six of nine games soon after arriving from England's second division but made some costly mistakes.
Gone? The new guys will decide the futures of veterans Bakaye Dibassy, Zarek Valentin and Brent Kallman as well as DJ Taylor and Devin Padelford.
GOALKEEPER
Dayne St. Clair
Age 26
Country: Canada
Contract expires: Dec. 31, 2024 (team option for 2025)
Just finished his fifth MLS season and still approaching his prime, he started 30 MLS games and all five Leagues Cup games. Add a couple CONCACAF Gold Cup games for Canada, too.
Veteran backup Clint Irwin is signed through 2024 with a team option for 2025.
Minnesota started only two strikers against Seattle, leaving Sang Bin Jeong and Joseph Rosales to provide the width behind Teemu Pukki and Kelvin Yeboah.
