With the schedule filling up and the days before Major League Soccer contracts are guaranteed winding down, expect D.C. United to make roster tweaks and adjustments before the end of the month.
The club started to confront one of its main tasks in earnest this week, strengthening the goalkeeping corps, by welcoming on trial 21-year-old Frenchman Manuel Villaurio.
If United likes Villaurio, who is under contract but out of favor with French first division club AS Monaco, he could replace either of D.C.’s two reserve goalkeepers, Jose Carvallo or James Thorpe.
Carvallo (2008 base salary $48,000) initially was seen as a competitor for D.C.’s starting spot with Zach Wells, but he has not played for the first team since starting in a 4-0 loss at Real Salt Lake on April 12. Thorpe, a rookie, only joined the team recently after graduating from college.
If United is going to cut players, it must do so by July 1, when MLS contracts are guaranteed. New international players can sign on July 15.
Roster depth is essential. D.C. currently doesn’t have a single league match in July, but it could face up to eight games during the month, including SuperLiga, U.S. Open Cup and a potential rescheduled date of the washed-out June 4 match against Houston.
On Monday, United officially added six more midweek CONCACAF Champions League matches during the final seven weeks of the regular season — mid-September through October — when it expects to be embroiled in a battle for the playoffs.
“Hopefully we get out ahead of the group, win early and pace ourselves,” said United general manager Dave Kasper. “It’s a challenging group. Saprissa’s a great club, and they’ve had a lot of success in this tournament. Cruz Azul was in the final of the Mexican championship this year, so you’re talking about two teams that are in great form.”
