On Friday, United addressed the situation by acquiring Pedroso in a two-part transaction: It traded a 2020 first-round draft pick to FC Dallas, Pedroso’s previous club, for $100,000 in general allocation money (MLS terminology for financial considerations). D.C. then claimed him off waivers.

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Originally, D.C. and Dallas had agreed to a straightforward trade: Pedroso for the draft pick, plus Dallas agreeing to keep a large portion of his estimated $350,000 salary on its books. But a league technicality, tied to Dallas using discretionary targeted allocation money to sign him last summer, forbade a trade within one year of his arrival.

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The league rejected the initial trade, so the teams improvised.

Olsen does not care how it came about; he is just happy to be able to begin untangling a defensive knot. A natural left back will allow others, such as Paul Arriola, to return to natural positions in the attack, which has sputtered for weeks.

In anticipation of the deal, Pedroso, 25, arrived midweek and trained with his new teammates Thursday and Friday. Olsen said he will consider including Pedroso on the 18-man game-day roster Saturday against the Columbus Crew at Audi Field. He has not ruled out starting him right away.

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However, Pedroso’s short practice time and scramble to settle in Washington — several flight delays with his wife and dog, plus a hotel reservation mix-up — seem likely to push his starting debut to next weekend against visiting Kansas City.

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“It’s a new opportunity for me, a good opportunity for me,” said the Brazilian, who played in Turkey and Hungary before joining Dallas last summer and starting 13 times. After undergoing a complicated groin surgery in the offseason, he lost his place this spring and logged two appearances (one start) for Dallas.

Pedroso will help fill a void left by Joseph Mora and Chris McCann.

Mora has been out since early April after undergoing surgery for a fractured jaw. He was scheduled to have the wire holding his mouth shut removed Thursday, but doctors said the injury needs more time to mend.

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With Mora inactive and limited in his food intake — he has lost weight — the team does not expect him to return to the game-day roster until late June, at the earliest.

McCann (hamstring) is training all-out again and could see action soon.

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With Pedroso in the mix, though, Olsen has additional options to address the personnel puzzle. Aside from a new player, United also received good news this week as Leonardo Jara, the starting right back, recovered quickly from a groin injury that had sidelined him at halftime Sunday at Minnesota.

“He is in contention to play,” Olsen said.

Defensive midfielder Russell Canouse (sprained knee) is also in contention after missing three matches.

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“Training sessions have been a lot sharper just because we are adding back some quality into the group,” Olsen said. “With that, maybe guys are a little more on edge because of the competition for playing time. That is what you are looking for.”

He is also looking for better performances at home. United (5-3-2, 17 points) has not scored in its past three Audi Field appearances, a jarring development after it averaged more than two goals at the new venue last year.

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Scoring has been a problem everywhere. United has posted six goals in the past seven matches — three came off set pieces — and 13 all season. The team has not scored in the second half since the third game, and that came with a one-, then two-man advantage against Real Salt Lake.

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Columbus (4-5-1, 13 points) is also in a scoring rut: one goal during a four-game losing streak. Wayne Rooney’s free kick lifted United to a 1-0 victory in central Ohio on April 24.

“It’s been frustrating,” Arriola said of D.C.'s slump. “We haven’t really created a lot. We need to work harde. We all need to be sharper and really trust each other. Playing at home, we should be the animal we were last year and dominate here.”

Notes: Academy midfielder Bryang Kayo played 90 minutes and homegrown signing Griffin Yow went 64 in the U.S. under-17 national team’s 3-2 comeback victory over Canada at Concacaf’s U-17 World Cup qualifying tournament Thursday in Bradenton, Fla. . . .

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Olsen celebrated his 42nd birthday Friday; he has worked for the organization since he was 20.

Columbus Crew at D.C. United

When: Saturday, 8 p.m.

Where: Audi Field.

Live streams: FloSports and ESPN+. Both are subscription services. ESPN+ is blacked out in the D.C. area.

Records: United, 5-3-2, 17 points; Crew, 4-5-1, 13 points.

D.C. probable starters: GK Bill Hamid; Ds Leonardo Jara, Frederic Brillant, Donovan Pines, Steve Birnbaum, Ulises Segura; MF Chris Durkin, Junior Moreno, Paul Arriola, Luciano Acosta; F Wayne Rooney.

Columbus probable starters: GK Zack Steffen; D Hector Jimenez, Gaston Sauro, Lalas Abubakar, Waylon Francis; MF Robinho, Ricardo Clark, Wil Trapp, Federico Higuain, Justin Meram; F Gyasi Zardes.