OFFICIAL: Revs Re-Acquire Femi From Minnesota

It turns out Femi Hollinger-Janzen’s career in Minnesota won’t even last a full offseason.

The New England Revolution officially announced a trade that sends Femi back to greater Boston just a few months after Minnesota United selected the striker in the expansion draft. The trade was first reported by Ives Galarcep.

The Revs reacquire a surprise contributor from last season, as the 3rd round draft pick from Indiana was one of only three players selected in the back half of the MLS Draft to see playing time last year. Hollinger-Janzen was second on the team with 18 substitute appearances and played in 19 total MLS games in his rookie season.

By dealing Bobby Shuttleworth the Revs clear up a goalkeeping depth chart that was going to be very crowded. New England kept all four keepers from last year’s team, including new addition Cody Cropper, veteran backup Brad Knighton and undrafted rookie Matt Turner who saw time on loan with the Richmond Kickers.

While it’s tough to lose a veteran and someone who has started an MLS Cup, the Revs are getting similar value for Shuttleworth as they did with Brad Knighton several years ago. The Revs sent what became a 3rd round pick to Vancouver for the rights to Knighton before the 2014 season and now Minnesota sends a player selected in the 3rd round to New England for a solid goalkeeper.

In all likelihood the Revs would have a depth chart (in pencil) that would feature Cropper as the #1 keeper with Knighton and Turner behind the former US youth national team keeper. But don’t be surprised to see Knighton get decent minutes as well, as his form from last season was solid and he became the starter towards the end of the year.

Femi joins what is shaping up to be a fairly stacked attacking group led by Juan Agudelo and Kei Kamara. With Jay Heaps featuring a diamond midfield with two strikers primarily, there’s more of a need for depth up front now for the Revs. Don’t be surprised to see Teal Bunbury and Femi out wide as wingers in a 4-2-3-1 setup either.

Obviously there are a few questions for Minnesota like why didn’t they take Shuttleworth over Femi in the expansion draft but the most important thing is this:

The Batman cleats are coming back to Gillette.

Welcome back Femi and thank you Bobby for a wonderful career in New England.