A field guide to Minnesota United's first MLS season

The seasoned goalkeeper is 34, the oldest player on the roster and one of several new signings by United brought in for this season. He was the consistent starter for his previous top-division team back in Sweden for five years. The keeper is like the “quarterback,” as he is the one who sees the entire pitch and shouts instructions to field players. Having a mature presence in goal will help this new team stay cohesive.

Añor came on loan to the Loons last season in the NASL from Sporting Kansas City, but an ankle injury took him out for most of the season. While he won the fitness test this preseason in Arizona, a hamstring injury soon after has kept him from playing ever since. If the Venezuelan can overcome these injury woes, the winger could add to the stacked United attack.

Calvo will be part of United’s starting central defense, on the left to Vadim Demidov’s right. The Costa Rican national team member can also play at left-back.

United’s No. 1 draft pick is being groomed as the future of the club. The team’s youngest player at 21, he could become a catalyst similar to former No. 1 draft picks Jack Harrison of New York City FC and Cyle Larin of Orlando City SC. Lingering injuries might mute his impact right away, but he’ll have chances this season to show his worth.

The longtime United player will start at left-back for the Loons. Davis first came to the club in 2011 and has appeared in a club-record 169 games. He was one of the first players signed when United moved to MLS.

The Frenchman – with American citizenship, too – was the only other drafter player besides Abu Danladi that United signed. The midfielder has been playing mainly as a left-back in the preseason, and will likely back up Justin Davis in that spot this season.

Born in the former Soviet Union but raised in Norway, the worldly center-back has played all across Europe, including the top Spanish and German leagues. Despite being new the team, the 30-year-old has taken on the role of captain and brings a veteran’s mentality to the backline. Combined with Alvbage in goal, the central defense should be experienced, well-organized and strong.

The speedy winger was once a rising star for the U.S. men’s national team before three knee surgeries set him back for three years. Now back in the U.S. for the first time in his professional career, Gatt has featured as a striker for United in preseason and could press the starters in the attack for minutes.

Also a member of the Naval Reserve Force, he never really had a chance to prove himself at former club Colorado Rapids. So Greenspan will back-up Vadim Demidov as the right-side center-back.

The winger played for United in NASL starting in 2012 before moving to Mexican club Leon in 2015. He was the first second-division player called up to the U.S. men’s national team in about a decade when he made the roster in 2014. He’s one of seven players with ties to United’s NASL side. Keeping that connection to the team’s past with a core group of players joining the MLS club has been a point of focus for United.

The Brazilian has played all across the world in the top leagues of Brazil, Italy, Russia and Portugal. He even played with FC Barcelona star Neymar for two seasons at Brazilian club Santos. Expect him to come off the bench as a holding midfielder.

The Prairie Seeds Academy product can play as a defender (fullback), midfielder (winger) or forward, and that versatility will help him fill in as needed for United off the bench.

With United on a year-long loan, the winger will challenge Miguel Ibarra for minutes in the attack. An ACL injury limited the Dane’s playing time at FC Copenhagen, so he will be eager to play for United.

One of the infamous Minnesota Kallman soccer siblings, Brent Kallman joined his brother Brian, now retired, at United in 2013. He will back-up Francisco Calvo as the left-side center-back.

Injuries have hindered the former D.C. United homegrown player. But he will hope to come off the bench as a central midfielder for United.

The other player United acquired in that big trade with Orlando City SC for Kevin Molino, McLain will be United’s third-choice goalkeeper this season.

Untied payed big MLS money for the Trinidad and Tobago national team member in a trade with Orlando City SC. The winger will be a creative force on United’s attack this season, reuniting with his longtime coach at Orlando, Adrian Heath.

Another holdover from United’s NASL side, Ramirez will push Johan Venegas and Abu Danladi for playing time at forward. Ramirez is also reuniting in MLS with his best friend Miguel Ibarra.

The Swede will start in the midfield for United as one of the holding players. At previous club Columbus Crew, Saeid established himself as a rising central midfielder in the league.

The Finnish national team member will start for United at central midfielder. He’s also got the classic blonde hockey flow.

The longtime New England Revolution keeper will likely be United’s second-choice behind John Alvbage. In eight seasons with the Revs, he made 127 appearances, 124 starts, 34 shutouts and 344 saves with a 46-53-28 regular season record.

The Jamaican can play any of the back-four defensive positions and will be a necessary utility player there. He’s played in MLS since 2011 with two different clubs and will bring that experience to this expansion franchise.

The Swiss defender can play multiple positions but will likely start at right-back for United. He has spent his entire career in Switzerland, most recently at FC Luzern in the country’s top league.

The Costa Rican national team member has played winger but will likely feature as a striker for United, where he has been successful in preseason. He will start for the Loons in that position.

A player for United since 2012, Venegas was one of the club’s first signings after moving to MLS. He will fight for time at right-back with Jermaine Taylor and Jerome Thiesson.

The MLS journeyman will start as a holding midfielder for United. He was a part of Impact Montreal’s first season as an expansion club and will bring much league experience to the Loons.

The Englishman had a near 20-year playing career, including an incredibly successful stint at Everton in the 1980s. He began his coaching career in the mid-90s in England before moving to the U.S. in 2008 to start the Austin Aztex, which eventually became MLS team Orlando City SC. While Orlando fired Heath halfway through the 2016 season, the coached jumped into another expansion endeavor with United in late November and will bring his possession-style strategy to the Loons.

Fuller started as a player-coach under Heath with the Austin Aztex, eventually becoming a full-time assistant when the team went to MLS as Orlando City SC in 2015. He spent 2016 as an assistant with United before reuniting with Heath in Minnesota for 2017.

Watson, a former Canadian national team defender, started his coaching career in 2004 while he was still playing. He was the head coach of the San Jose Earthquakes for a little more than a year before coming on as an assistant at Orlando City SC, with Adrian Heath and Ian Fuller, for the 2015 season. He left the club the same time Heath did halfway through 2016 and joined him and Fuller again at United for this 2017 season.

The Norwegian goalkeeping coach is a new face for United and coach Adrian Heath. He had been the goalkeeping coach with fellow MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps FC since 2011.