The MLS transfer window is now in full swing. Head Coach Brad Freidel has already stated New England’s plan on adding two or three more players this summer. Sources say one or possibly two of those players will be DP contracts. The Revolution aren’t having a bad season, but there is a lot of room for improvement. But where do the Revs need the most help?
Left Back, Left Back, Left Back
Mar 10, 2018; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Revolution defender Chris Tierney (8) salutes the fans after a match against the Colorado Rapids at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
Coming into 2018, left back was the top priority. The Revs seemed like they had fixed that with the signing of Gabriel Somi in January. Now it’s July, and most fans are willing to admit that he was a failed experiment. So Brad Freidel turned back to veteran player Chris Tierney. The experiment was also shot down pretty quickly when Tierney tore his ACL and the Revs placed him on the season-ending IR. Now Brad Freidel has turned to club captain Claude Dielna to play left back. Claude has experience playing left back, but he’s far from a natural at that position. So who should the New England go after to cover left back?
While the Revs haven’t been linked to anyone specific, there are plenty of fish in the sea. With the summer window officially open, lots of players have been let go and are without contract. It’s up to the Mike Burns and the front office to sign or buy the right one to fill the hole.
Striker/Winger
Look, Teal Bunbury has been great this season, but he can’t do it all by himself. Bunbury needs a supporting role to step up and score goals, and someone to help feed one another. While first coming up behind the scenes in January, interest in Bojan Krcic has re-emerged lately. The 27-year-old striker, who has played with Barcelona, AC Milan and AS Roma currently plays for Stoke City. His contract runs through 2020, so if the Revs pursued it would require a transfer fee to acquire him. While it’s unknown how much that fee could be, Bojan currently boasts a transfer value of $1,500,000, and was once worth $15,000,000. Bojan, if signed, will also be a huge help to the team’s lack of play-making skills and surely help Diego Fagundez as the number 10.
Another weakness the Revs have is at the wings. Cristian Penilla has been sublime, but the Revs have struggled to find someone to play on the right. They’ve switched between Agudelo, Rowe, and Nemeth and none have been solid. That’s where Felipe Pires comes in. The Revs were said to be interested in signing the 23-year-old Brazilian. With a market value of $2.25 million, he would be the Revs most valuable player in terms of money. It wouldn’t be cheap though. It would require a transfer fee to acquire him which could become very hefty. If the Revs managed to bring in Pires, it would provide the team with an almost unstoppable offensive front.
Center Back
While not their biggest priority, the Revs defense has been suspect at times. With almost no depth, they need another center back. Speculation for a while has been that the New England could go after Geoff Cameron due to the fact that he is a native Bostonian. That speculation has risen over the last few weeks after Geoff was spotted at a Gillette Stadium and was formally linked with to the team with the Revs expressing interest. Although the price for Cameron is not cheap. Cameron’s agents have stated he is looking for a total $6,000,000 package to sign. Along with that, the Revs would also have to trade to get a higher allocation spot. Finally, the Revs would also have to provide Stoke with a transfer fee, which won’t be cheap for Cameron, who’s valued at $2,500,000.
