Three Roster Needs for the Summer Transfer Window

The Major League Soccer summer transfer window opens July 24 and runs until Aug. 21. Teams don’t always look to bolster their rosters during this time of the year, thanks to the incredibly mind-numbing roster composition rules of MLS. Still, Orlando City has utilized this time of year in the past to shore up its ranks and propel the team into a second-half surge multiple times.

Most notably, the summer of 2022 comes to mind, as Orlando City signed Ivan Angulo, Wilder Cartagena, and Nicholas Gioacchini, players who all helped the Lions secure their first-ever U.S. Open Cup championship. A year later, Orlando re-acquired Junior Urso during the summer window, bringing a veteran presence into the locker room.

There is value to be found during this time of the season, and after a recent string of poor results, the front office has surely been busy doing its due diligence in evaluating what potential players may be able to join the squad in the City Beautiful. What follows are what I see as the team’s three biggest needs based upon the current roster construction, taking into account depth, injury status, and player productivity.

A Veteran Striker

Orlando City was dealt a blow when it was announced earlier in the summer that Duncan McGuire underwent his second shoulder surgery since December on the opposite side of from the one he injured late last season. McGuire has demonstrated the ability to return from surgery on a quicker timeline than expected. Nonetheless, McGuire’s loss took some of the sharpness off the tip of the Orlando City spear. While Ramiro Enrique and Luis Muriel have continued to produce, fatigue could play a factor, especially for the 34-year-old Muriel. A veteran striker who has a proven track record can help the squad even without producing goals, as he could be a mentor for a youngster like Enrique and provide extra depth heading into the hottest time of the year and the upcoming Leagues Cup. With the Orlando City attack lacking quality precision to convert shots to goals over the last several matches, someone fresh who can not only put shots on target but also past the keeper would be a nice luxury to have.

A True Left Back

While David Brekalo has been doing a far better job on the left side of the defensive back line than I initially projected, his presence in the starting lineup in place of a traditional left back hurts the team’s overall roster construction. This year has already seen Brekalo contribute more than he did in his rookie MLS season, so objectively it should be viewed as an improvement, but instead of providing depth and flexibility for the center back position, Head Coach Oscar Pareja has been forced to regularly deploy all three of the team’s natural center backs. This has limited his options when it comes to substitutions and has taken away from what was likely the overarching goal when Brekalo was signed, which was for him to assume a starting role next to Robin Jansson. Luckily, it is not like Jansson or Rodrigo Schlegel ever pick up first-half yellow cards (palm to forehead) where depth is then an issue.

It doesn’t seem like Rafael Santos is the answer any longer after falling out of the starting lineup earlier in the season, and therefore an additional left back should allow Brekalo to shift back into the middle.

Left Wing

While Ivan Angulo’s pace is his greatest weapon, it is also his only weapon. He tracks back and defends more than he gets credit for, but alas the left wing is still where the Orlando City offense goes to die more times than I care to recall. Angulo reminds me of Luis Mendoza from D2: The Mighty Ducks — the player who has the breakneck speed but just can’t stop in time to score the goal. Angulo has botched breakaways and wide-open opportunities multiple times this season, costing Orlando goals and results.

This season, Angulo has started 22 of 24 matches and has contributed four assists, six shy of his total from last year. He has only put eight of his 25 shot attempts on target. In a year which has seen all three Designated Players for Orlando find offensive success, Angulo’s numbers are simply too pedestrian for a starting-cailber player. While Nicolas Rodriguez was brought in during the off-season as a depth piece on the left wing, he has dealt with injuries throughout the first half of the season. Human Swiss Army knife Kyle Smith has even gotten a couple of runs at the position, and Pareja has used Martin Ojeda on the left and put both Enrique and Muriel up top in the attack, which has not worked well with Brekalo at left back, as he does not provide the same kind of width that Santos can provide.

To me, this is the single largest roster black hole that is holding Orlando City back from challenging the top teams in the East. The Lions might not find a better starting option than Angulo during the upcoming transfer window, but I sure want to see the team swing for the fences.

If I were the general manager for a day leading up to the summer transfer window, those are the positions that I would look to bolster. Depth for the attack, a serviceable and traditional left back, and a left wing who can contribute offensively. Is there a different area of need that you think is more pressing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and as always, vamos Orlando!