The fall of one Minnesota United center back — coupled with the rise of another — has overshadowed the increasingly steady performances of Loons defender Francisco Calvo this season.

After the Major League Soccer expansion franchise’s defense showed seismic faults at the start of its debut campaign, club captain and highest-paid player Vadim Demidov was benched, while Woodbury native Brent Kallman, who earns a salary near the league minimum, has performed well above his pay grade in earning a starting role.

Meanwhile, Calvo has fulfilled United’s expectations, while also raising his ceiling. Calvo, 24, came to Minnesota as a Costa Rican national team player earning a salary in the club’s upper echelon.

Demidov, who arrived from Norway, is being paid $555,000 in guaranteed compensation, Calvo earns $330,000 and Kallman receives $68,000, according to the MLS players’ union figures released last week.

Manny Lagos, United’s sporting director, said Calvo’s youthfulness, performance and prominent role in the locker room and on the field provide an “exciting” combination.

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Loons have ‘money available’ and roster flexibility for more additions “When a player is 24 and he’s an international (team member) and is captain of your team, that’s a big positive,” Lagos said.

United coach Adrian Heath’s preseason trip to Costa Rica to see Calvo made a big impression. Calvo, who was playing for Saprissa, a club near the capital of San Jose, cited Heath’s personal visit as a signal of Minnesota’s commitment and a reason why he signed with the Loons over other interested MLS teams.

Calvo, who has since worn the captain’s armband, was “outstanding” in Minnesota’s 1-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes last Saturday, Heath said. During training this week, Heath said he sees a bit of a comparison between Calvo and Sporting Kansas City defender Matt Besler ahead of the 12:30 p.m. Sunday game between Minnesota (2-5-2) and Kansas City (5-1-3) at TCF Bank Stadium.

Besler, a member of the U.S. national team, was MLS Defender of the Year in 2012 and has been a five-time MLS Best XI selection. Heath’s comparison comes from similarities in ability to defend in the box and passing range.

“He’s got a bit of everything,” Heath said of Calvo. “But I just feel like he is growing not only to be the captain, but growing into this league as well.”

Heath said Calvo cleared an early learning curve at the start of his MLS career.

“I think early on, he took too many chances,” Heath said. “I think now he’s realizing that sometimes you maybe don’t get the time he had down in Costa Rica to always bring the ball out.”

Calvo added, “Everything here is competitive. Sometimes in Costa Rica, there are only four big teams and that’s it.”

Against the Earthquakes, Heath liked Calvo’s overall defense and “some great, last-ditch tackles.”

Heath said Calvo has become more vocal in the dressing room. “He has an opinion,” Heath added. “He’s growing into that position. I’ve been delighted with his form over the last few weeks.”

Kallman said he has seen weekly improvement in his partnership with Calvo. They have been paired together for five straight games, including Minnesota’s two wins, since Calvo returned from playing in Costa Rica’s World Cup qualifiers in late March.

“I think our games compliment each other well,” said Kallman, 26. “I’m more of a conservative center back, and he reads the game extremely well. So, at times he can go hunt a little bit and trust his reads and make plays and interceptions. You don’t want to put a limit on him because he’s obviously a really good footballer, and he has super good instincts.”