The Crew has signed two homegrown players but could still add more signings before next week's Major League Soccer SuperDraft, coach and sporting director Gregg Berhalter said.

With the additions of Ross Friedman and Matt Walker, the Crew roster stands at 27 players. The club holds three picks in the two-day event, but outside help could still be coming. When I last spoke to Berhalter, he said the team's top two positions of need were up top and in central defense. Progress was being made, he said Dec. 18.

The Crew has signed two homegrown players but could still add more signings before next week�s Major League Soccer SuperDraft, coach and sporting director Gregg Berhalter said.

With the additions of Ross Friedman and Matt Walker, the Crew roster stands at 27 players. The club holds three picks in the two-day event, but outside help could still be coming. When I last spoke to Berhalter, he said the team�s top two positions of need were up top and in central defense. Progress was being made, he said Dec. 18.

Today, Berhalter confirmed that the Crew is planning to add players outside of the draft and said there had �absolutely� been progress since our last conversation.

As for how much progress has been made, Berhalter was not divulging much. Here�s how the conversation went.

Me: Are you still looking to add players outside of the draft?

Berhalter: Yes.

Me: Are a scorer and a central defender your top two priorities?

Berhalter: Those are two positions. We�re looking at a little bit of everything, but primarily that. Maybe central midfield, maybe wide, maybe wide back, everything.

Me: Great coaching answer.

Berhalter: *laughs*

Me: Could you add more players before the draft?

Berhalter: It is possible, yes.

Me: Would you be adding guys from the United States or elsewhere?

Berhalter: I would imagine that any additions before the draft would be coming from overseas.

Me: Would these be players from the connections you�ve made as a coach in Sweden, or are we talking Central or South American players?

Berhalter: We�re playing 20 questions, huh? *laughs* We�ll see. Without giving too much away, we�re hoping to add quality pieces to the roster and hopefully we can get that accomplished.

It�s difficult to convey the tone of a conversation in a blog post, but I want to add that Berhalter in no way was angry throughout our exchange.

As for Danny O�Rourke and Glauber, two players who had their 2014 options declined, neither seems likely to return to the Crew.

�We haven�t closed the door, I would say,� he said. �It�s not a priority of ours to get that deal done, but it�s something we�re considering. There�s just other things going on right now.�

ajardy@dispatch.com

@AdamJardy