Red Bull New York’s offseason, which started hot and heavy, has slowed significantly in recent weeks.
Significant departures of previous contributors such as winger Lewis Morgan, defender Sean Nealis, midfielder Daniel Edelman, and goalkeeper Carlos Coronel have not entirely been addressed yet.
New York has brought in the speedy American youngster Cade Cowell to replace Morgan, German center back Robert Volder to step in for Nealis, and Justin Che to compete for time at right-back.
More, though, is needed. A starting goalkeeper is a necessity, and the new head of sport, Julian de Guzman, already made it known that one will be coming in, with a resolution expected shortly.
But additional experience both in the midfield and up top could help, as well.
Captain and Swedish international Emil Forsberg has spent the early parts of the preseason working as a No. 8 (box-to-box central midfielder) under new head coach Michael Bradley’s 4-3-3 vision. A fellow Swede, Gustav Berggren, who was signed during last summer’s transfer window, is working as the No. 6 (holding midfielder) as Edelman’s replacement.
That No. 7 role is currently unknown. Adri Mehmet, a 16-year-old phenom who has worked with RB Leipzig in the German Bundesliga, could have a chance to make an immediate impact.
“Every one of your young players will get an opportunity every single day,” Bradley quipped on Thursday.
But a full season’s workload for such a young talent would be a significant ask when veteran talent could help lift Red Bull’s prospects of playoff contention a bit more.
The same uncertainty exists up front. Cowell will flank former Bayern Munich and PSG man Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, but a designated-player upgrade on the right wing over Cameron Harper boosts New York’s attack significantly.
“We’re always evaluating every single day,” Bradley said of his roster. “We’re trying to look at the group that we have, trying to find really good ways to push the group here forward and make sure that we’re establishing good ideas, establishing a way of playing how that connects with our mentality… But absolutely, we’re in constant discussion to figure out the best ways to make our team better, to make our team more complete. That will always continue.”
While it is only just over a week into the preseason, New York’s exhibition slate got off to a concerning start on Wednesday when it fell 3-1 to third-tier USL League One side Sarasota 3-1.
“Not the result that we wanted,” Bradley said. “But in a lot of ways, for eight days into preseason, a lot of positives [were there]. We’ll always be a group that is honest and real with ourselves in terms of the result part of things, but we also understand where we are at this point, establishing ideas, continuing to build the base… all these things are still higher on the priority list.”
