But the group that has gathered at the vast indoor facility in a discreet suburban industrial park remains incomplete.

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The absence of three starters on national team assignments — Paul Arriola and Russell Canouse are with the U.S. squad and Joseph Mora is with Costa Rica — is temporary. More pressing, as the organization prepares to relocate camp to Clearwater, Fla., on Sunday, is the drawn-out pursuit of a starting right back, a backup forward and perhaps a starting-caliber central defender.

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General Manager Dave Kasper said Wednesday “we’re going to add another three to four players” before the season launches March 3 against reigning champion Atlanta at Audi Field.

Although Kasper declined to identify him by name, United is hopeful of finalizing the acquisition of right back Leonardo Jara on loan from Argentine club Boca Juniors. “I imagine next week [the search] will be resolved,” he said, if not with Jara then another targeted player. In all, Kasper estimated, United has evaluated 75 right backs worldwide and has narrowed its list of candidates to a few.

Nick DeLeon was the first-choice right back last year, but when United did not exercise the option on his contract, he signed with Toronto FC. The team drafted Creighton’s Akeem Ward in the first round, but he will need time to work himself into first-team consideration.

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Coach Ben Olsen did name Jara specifically, adding, “Hopefully [there’s] an answer sooner rather than later. We still have quite a few days before the start of the season. We’ll get a pretty good roster and get ready to compete in the next week or two.”

Hamid said, “I’ve got a great back line (n.), back-line (adj.) and I know they are working hard to add a few more pieces.”

No rumors have surfaced about United’s target to become Rooney’s backup at striker. Rooney hit the ground running upon arrival last summer and rarely took a rest, but over the course of a long regular season, he will need relief at times.

Meantime, hope appears to be fading to retain Argentine midfielder Yamil Asad, whose loan from Velez Sarsfield expired after last season. The sides have not been able to reach agreement that would result in a permanent transfer to Washington.

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Sounding like he has seen the last of Asad, Olsen said: “We wish him the best of luck. He was a great player for us in a short amount of time. We’d like to thank him for his services.”

United officials have not ruled out Asad’s return, but at the moment, the outlook is grim. Asked if he was optimistic, Kasper said: “Not sure.”

However, with the acquisition of Lucas Rodriguez, on loan from Argentina’s Estudiantes, the club believes it has a natural replacement for Asad on the left wing. Rodriguez reported to camp this week.

Looking at the broader roster, captain Rooney said, “We need some more players, that’s for sure. The squad at the minute is a bit thin. … We still need a few proven players to help the squad progress to where we want to go.”

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United has added a 6-foot-5 center back: Donovan Pines, a homegrown signing from Howard County who helped Maryland win the NCAA championship. The deal was formally announced Wednesday.

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Although Pines will probably begin his career at Loudoun United, D.C.'s new second-division team, Kasper said Pines is a “future starter for the club. How quickly that happens, only time will tell. But he has all the tools.”

One player definitely on the way out is goalkeeper David Ousted, who reported to camp early this week but is likely on the way to the Chicago Fire via the waiver process. Before that can happen, United must complete a complicated formula to satisfy Ousted’s guaranteed contract. It’s unclear whether D.C. will buy out a portion of his salary or leave that amount on its books.

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Ousted, who started half of last season, became expendable when United acquired Chris Seitz and Earl Edwards Jr. to back up Hamid.

“Every offseason is a circus,” Olsen said. “It’s just how this sport is made. There are a lot of things are almost there and then they fall off. It’s just the nature of the offseason.”

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With the roster expected to take fuller shape in the next few weeks, Rooney said he believes United is built for success.

“It’s important we get in a few more proven players with experience in this league, if not in other big leagues,” he said. “I feel we have the potential to win it.”