Where we left off last year
2023 season: 41 points, 11th in the Western Conference
Starting off the year with a lengthy suspension for star No. 10 Emanuel Reynoso really set the tone for Minnesota United’s 2023 campaign.
Reynoso failed to report for preseason training camp in 2023, leading to a suspension without pay through mid-May. He didn’t step on the field until June. As the Loons prepared to finish below the playoff line, they fired long-time manager Adrian Heath with two games remaining on their schedule. Heath did more than just coach in Minnesota — he stretched over to the front office, too, leaving a real vacancy in both parts of the club.
There were a few positives in a mostly bleak year. While the defense struggled, the attack showed real signs of life. Teemu Pukki arrived from England in the middle of year and hit double-digit goals by the end of it and Bongi Hlongwane was a regular threat in the final third with his savvy, vertical off-ball movement.
Could Minnesota have climbed above the playoff line with an entire year of Reynoso? Absolutely. It’s a good thing he’s fully invested for this year…right?
What changed in the offseason
Notable arrivals:
- Khaled El-Ahmad, CSO: Minnesota United still don’t have a head coach. El-Ahmad was hired away from Barnsley as the new front office head back in November, but the former City Football Group scout didn’t arrive in Minnesota until late January. He’s the one responsible for finding a new manager. At this point, it seems pretty clear that Minnesota United are waiting until some of the big European leagues finish up to broaden their coaching candidate pool before making a hire. If El-Ahmad turns out to be a top-tier chief soccer officer, the head coaching delay will be worth it. That’s a big “if”, though.
- Victor Eriksson, CB: Between the front office delay, the coaching search, and the fact that the club feels good about big chunks of their starting lineup, it’s been a quiet offseason in terms of high-profile signings. Eriksson, 23, isn’t a season-altering addition from the Swedish-top flight, but he’ll be in line for minutes in central defense. He’s a big-bodied, right-footed option in the back.
