Revolution manager Brad Friedel, speaking on WBZ-FM’s (98.5 The Sports Hub) Zo and Bertrand Midday Show Thursday afternoon, noted the club is in daily negotiations with three as of now unknown high-end players for the 2019 season.
“We will be bringing in another designated player,” Friedel said in response to a question from former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak. “I think it’s very, very important that we sign the right one, not just sign one. Our top three targets that we’re looking at are still there and still available and we’re negotiating each and every day, and we will keep working to bring them in.
“I don’t have an exact time frame on that, but hopefully sooner rather than later, but that will definitely be happening.”
The questioning comes on the eve of the 2019 season, which begins Saturday afternoon. A segment of fans have grown irritated with the lack of a second DP after club president Brian Bilello had tweeted on Dec. 19 — the day before the club announced the loan signing of Juan Fernando Caicedo — that New England “Will add 3-4 above max salary players before the season. 1 or 2 of those will be DP.”
As of today, the Revolution have brought in Caicedo — and while there are no figures released until May, it is presumed the Colombian striker will earn above the maximum Salary Budget Charge of $530,000 for 2019 — as well as one DP in Spanish playmaker Carles Gil.
That’s two.
Friedel also noted in reference to the roster: “Rosters are never, ever set in stone. They’re always ever-evolving. We’re still looking — and we will add — one or two (players) as the course of the season goes, and I’m sure one or two will probably (be transferred away from Foxborough). That’s the business of soccer.”
BSJ Analysis
Friedel basically echoed what my colleague Julian Cardillo of ProSoccerUSA.com said this morning on Twitter, of which I concur:
Re the #NERevs and the promise for a 2nd "above max" player before 3/2:
Don't read into it. Revs have in fact been in talks with multiple DP-level targets. Sometimes things don't work out. Getting the RIGHT player is more important than signing ANY player just to keep a promise.
— Julian Cardillo (@JulianCardillo) February 28, 2019