Earlier this summer, Dan Hunt went on TV and said FC Dallas would have a “busy and impactful” summer transfer window.
During said summer window – July 9 to August 7 – FCD brought in Edwin Gyasi on loan from CSKA Sofia. One player isn’t exactly “busy” and despite the fact he looks like a good addition so far, Gyasi hasn’t yet been “impactful.” Even if we throw in the June Homegrown signing of Ricardo Pepi – who has a bright future ahead of him – that still doesn’t quite hit the “busy and impactful” mark Hunt set.
Not so fast, says FC Dallas Head Coach Luchi Gonzalez. Despite the transfer window closing next Wednesday (August 7th) FCD still might get something done just in time.
“We’ve got a potential idea by then but if it doesn’t work in our deadline we’re very prepared to move forward with the roster we have knowing that Francis [Atuahene – on loan to Austin Bold of the USL Championship] can be recalled.”
Even if FC Dallas gets something done, Coach Gonzalez underlined the difficulties of a new player making an impact at this late stage. This being the offseason almost everywhere else, is the player game fit? How fast can he pick up the system and culture? “At this point, bringing in a piece, potentially an international, for them to get visa cleared and everything sorted out it’s to be, what? Available for 5 or 6 games?”
“If we’re going to bring something right now, before Wednesday, it’s going to be a potential starter. We’ve identified one or two guys that can compete for that. But the negotiations aren’t done.” Coach Gonzalez continued.
“If one can get done – it’s not going to be two – but if one can get done I think it could be a good late addition. But with the idea also that it’s an investment for next season’s impact.”
One route that is open to FC Dallas is to sign players form their own professional developmental team, North Texas Soccer Club. The MLS roster freeze is August 30th, which gives Coach Gonzalez roughly a month to decide if he needs to bring up a youngster.
FC Dallas is, as the coach has stated many times this year, a developmental club now. “This is new for us. Our second team, we can sign anybody from our second team to the first team during the MLS season.” Gonzalez said. “If Arturo [Rodriguez], or David [Rodriguez], or [Alfusainey] Jatta are a position that we need for the MLS Cup [playoffs] we can sign them from our 2nd team. I think that also factored in.”
As a consequence of being able to add depth from North Texas SC, Coach Gonzalez says any transfer added this window will be top tier and impactful. “If we bring something right now, it’s because we believe they’re going to impact the group. Or we really know they are going to help for 2020.”
So while it seems the likelihood of an international transfer isn’t high, FC Dallas does have a couple of irons in the fire with the focus on this season… and a partial eye on 2020.
And if no one else is added this window? What then, coach? “We move forward with our family and our team.”
“But then we really start to prepare ideas in terms of transfers for 2020.”