Summer transfer wish list for the Revolution

The MLS Summer Transfer Window opens on Jul. 10 and head coach Brad Friedel has expressed interest in adding “a new face or two.” Although we don’t know who he has in mind, we can certainly speculate about where these possible signings might play. With this in mind, here’s my wish list:

1. A dynamic right winger. Cristian Penilla has been sensational on the left and he’s my pick to be the club’s MVP. The right side, however, has been in a state of flux with Krisztian Nemeth and Juan Agudelo being the primary occupants. Both players have had highs and lows and neither has been able to claim full-time ownership of the spot. If the Revs can find a player similar to Penilla (easier said than done, for sure) then this team will certainly make the playoffs. I’m also open to the idea of the Revs acquiring a no. 10 and moving Diego Fagundez to the right, though I think the homegrown product has been quite good in the middle.
2. A steady left back or center back. If you told me that the Revolution’s biggest issues were related to the back line, I wouldn’t disagree. However, the Revs have had more success signing attackers than defenders, which is why I’d rather have them pursue a winger. That said, the Revs need help defensively. With Chris Tierney out for the season and Gabriel Somi not showing much, Friedel has looked to Claude Dielna to play left back. Dielna has been okay here, but it doesn’t feel natural. Adding a steady left back that can attack and defend would do a lot for this team. If Friedel thinks that Dielna is a long-term solution (at least for this season) then the team should look into inking a center back that can challenge Jalil Anibaba and Antonio Delamea.
3. A striker that can compete with Teal Bunbury. Going into the season, I wasn’t sure about Bunbury playing as the striker. The experiment had been tried before with little success, but this year has been different. Playing in a high press system has worked wonders for the attacker, who has an incredible amount of energy. More than that, Bunbury has been excellent at getting into the right spots, which is a skill that most strikers yearn to have. I’m all in favor of Bunbury being the starter for the rest of the year, but I also think he could use some competition since Nemeth and Agudelo have been largely used out wide.