Summer transfer wish list for the Revolution

New England Revolution head coach Bruce Arena said he’s looking to make an addition or two during the Summer Transfer Window. Here’s a rundown of the positions he should targeting in order of their importance.

1. Striker-With a pair of goals in the U.S. Open Cup and one in league play, Teal Bunbury has looked sharper in recent weeks. Juan Fernando Caicedo has also improved as he’s shown that he has some of the qualities you want in a striker. However, recent form shouldn’t make us forget that it took a Revs forward eight games to record a shot on goal in 2019. Adding a consistent goal-scorer would diversify the team’s attack, taking pressure off of Carles Gil and Cristian Penilla.
2. Centerback-The Revs are currently starting Jalil Anibaba and Andrew Farrell in the middle of their defense. I don’t see this as a long-term solution because one is an MLS journeyman and the other is a converted right back. A new centerback could pair with Anibaba, Antonio Delamea, or Michael Mancienne. This would allow Farrell to move to the outside. My only angst about adding a centerback during the summer is that it hasn’t worked in the past (see Claude Dielna and Mancienne).
3. Left back-Edgar Castillo is the only natural left back on the roster and he’s struggled defensively this year. The 32-year-old was a trusted starter at the beginning of the season, but recently lost his spot to rookie DeJuan Jones. Arena has given Castillo a chance to showcase himself during the Open Cup, but I’m not convinced he did enough to regain his spot. I’d be okay with giving Jones or Brandon Bye the rest of the season to see what they have to offer. That said, the team should be on the lookout for a new left back.
4. Defensive midfielder-The Revs already have a number of defensive midfielders in Scott Caldwell, Luis Caicedo, Wilfried Zahibo, and Zachary Herivaux (though he’s on loan). Despite this, the team still needs a tenacious tackler that can serve as the midfield general. The Juan Agudelo experiment intrigues me but I’m not completely sold on it. I think the Revs have enough depth to make it through the season before bringing in a new face ahead of 2020.

I’d like to note that I’m only interested in seeing acquisitions that will make a difference. If Arena finds it difficult to bring in a solid striker, centerback, etc during this short time frame then he should wait. The team doesn’t need players like Guillermo Hauche or Cristhian Machado.