Veteran Swedish midfielder Gustav Berggren’s visa has been approved and is in hand, meaning he can join the New York Red Bulls after a nearly month-long wait for the process to be completed, a source tells amNewYork.
The 27-year-old officially signed a 3.5-year deal with the MLS side on July 23, but was unable to participate in any game action until the P-1 visa went through.
His presence bolsters New York’s midfield, as he was viewed as a direct replacement for Uruguayan holding midfielder Felipe Carballo, whom the Red Bulls returned to his parent club, Brazil’s Gremio, after his loan expired.
Carballo has since moved back to MLS on a loan deal with the Portland Timbers.
Berggren was signed from Poland’s RKS Raków, with whom he spent the last three seasons. He won a league title with them in 2022-23 and team MVP honors in 2024. Across 105 appearances, he tallied five goals with seven assists.
The approval of his visa caps a productive Thursday — the final day before MLS’s transfer window shuts — for New York, which earlier acquired veteran goalkeeper and two-time MLS Cup winner John McCarthy from the Los Angeles Galaxy for a 2026 third-round draft pick. He will slot in as Carlos Coronel’s backup after AJ Marcucci went down with a season-ending knee injury.
Berggren can potentially make his team debut on Sunday down in North Carolina against Charlotte FC.
