by DAVE MARTINEZ

HANOVER, N.J. – It’s never too early to plan for the future.

While the New York Red Bulls find themselves knee deep in the Eastern Conference Finals, their technical staff is keeping an eye towards 2016 — as evidenced by the arrival of a pair of unfamiliar faces in camp this week.

Centerback Sebastien Ibeagha and young Red Bulls II defender Mason Deeds were in training this Tuesday. Neither are necessarily considered team trialists.

In the case of Deeds, 17, he has committed to Georgetown University next season, lending credence to that notion.

However, team head coach Jesse Marsch claims Ibeagha is in camp to keep his fitness — a line used many times when then-trialist Shaun Wright-Phillips was training with the club.

Ibeagha, 23, last played in the Icelandic second division with club Fram Reykjavík. “He just needed time to train. He is here for the week,” Marsch said of the defender. At an imposing 6’2″ tall, Ibeagha comes with the right size and age to fit in with either the Red Bulls first team or their USL reserve side. Like team sporting director Ali Curtis, Ibeagha is a Duke University graduate. He is also a Houston Dynamo academy product, a 2012 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time college All-American.

Mason Deeds, 17, is a Red Bull Academy product. He made two appearances for the USL reserve team this season. He has committed to Georgetown University for 2016 making a swoop by the Red Bull senior team unlikely.