Last-place Minnesota United made waves Friday by completing a startling multi-player trade with the Colorado Rapids.
With a defense that is on track to set a new Major League Soccer record for most goals allowed, it has been clear since opening week that something has to change on Minnesota’s back line.
That change finally came today after the club and fans endured four grueling weeks of blowout losses and a lone draw.
United confirmed Friday afternoon that they had reached an agreement to send midfielders Mohammed Saeid and Josh Gatt to Colorado in exchange for defender Marc Burch and defensive midfielder Sam Cronin. The club also sent an international spot — a precious commodity for a team that relies so heavily on foreign players — as part of the accord.
“With this move we have added strength, leadership and MLS experience to our roster,” Minnesota United Sporting Director Manny Lagos said. “Sam Cronin and Marc Burch were leaders on and off the field in Colorado and we are confident they will bring these important qualities to our club.”
Devil in the Details
While the trade appears to be a simple swap at face value, the club revealed in a press release that there was more to the deal than that.
Acquiring veteran defender Burch was more straightforward of the two to nab as Minnesota sent both Saeid and Gatt in exchange for his services, in addition to the international spot. Burch, 32, has started 3 matches for the Rapids this season and is listed as a fullback.
Cronin, on the other hand, required a few additional moves by Lagos. The 30-year-old was available via waivers but Minnesota did not hold the top spot, the Chicago Fire did. To move up to No. 1, Minnesota sent their natural third-round pick in the 2019 SuperDraft to Chicago and thus were able to pick up the midfielder.
Clearly, this is a step in the right direction for a club that has looked respectable on offense but has conceded so many goals that it has — save for one match in Colorado — never had a chance to battle for points.
“We are bringing in two strong players with a lot of MLS experience that can help us from the moment they arrive,” said head coach Adrian Heath. “From the beginning, I’ve said we will be constantly evaluating our roster and any additional needs and moves we need to make. We feel that both Sam [Cronin] and Marc [Burch] are confident players who will be ready to step in immediately and make an impact with this club. We wish nothing but the best to Mo [Saeid] and Josh [Gatt] in Colorado.”
The key bit of Heath’s quote is that he expects these players to have an impact from the moment they arrive. That is massive news for a team that is suffering from changing formations, a lack of a coherent identity and a smattering of injuries to players that could otherwise have provided depth at a crucial time.
While the club stated that Cronin and Burch will not be available for this Saturday’s contest against Real Salt Lake, Heath’s sentiment seems to indicate he will look to the two league veterans to step up in the locker room and step into the line-up as soon as next week.
