Goalkeeper: Matt Pickens enters his fourth season with the Rowdies after being named the club’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2016, and the veteran brings more than 200 professional games of experience, including more than 150 for the Chicago Fire and Colorado Rapids in MLS. The Rowdies added experience with the signing of Akira Fitzgerald, formerly of North Carolina FC, while Nico Campbell was one of the top goalkeepers in the Premier Development League last season for the Des Moines Menace and enters his first professional season with major potential.

Defense: The experienced duo of Neill Collins and Tam Mkandawire return to the squad, and are joined in the center back ranks by Jamaican international Damion Lowe, who arrives from Seattle Sounders FC. Another big addition is Luke Boden, who makes the move down I-4 from Orlando City SC after winning two USL championships with the Lions and making more than 100 appearances across the club’s USL and MLS history. Boden and former D.C. United player Kyle Porter join returnees Darnell King and Zac Portillos in the fullback options for Head Coach Stuart Campbell.

Midfield: The signing of Joe Cole last May put the Rowdies in the international spotlight, and the former Premier League and England international didn’t disappoint as he recorded nine goals and seven assists in 24 appearances for the club. Cole was joined this offseason by another big European name in Marcel Schäfer, VfL Wolfsburg’s all-time appearance leader and a former Bundesliga champion. The club has also made some other solid additions such as as Leo Fernandes from the Philadelphia Union and Darwin Jones from Seattle Sounders FC to join returning veteran Keith Savage and Michael Nanchoff.

Forward: Georgi Hristov has been a talisman for Tampa Bay since joining the club before the 2013 season, and last year recorded his 100th appearance for the side. His 34 goals are a modern-era record for the Rowdies, and he is looking to record another season with double-digit goals after scoring 11 goals and adding four assists a season ago. He is joined by Deshorn Brown, who had 20 goals in two seasons for the Colorado Rapids before overseas stints in Scandinavia and most recently in the Chinese Super League, and former Northern Ireland international Martin Paterson, who scored 29 goals in 130 games for Burnley in addition to English Championship experience with Stoke City and Huddersfield Town.