by CHRISTIAN ARAOS

Staff Writer

Halfway through the season, the New York Red Bulls find themselves amongst a crowded field in the Eastern Conference standings with a roster that is thin in some places sprinkled with young players making a name for themselves on the international stage.

Teams in that scenario are usually active buyers and/or sellers in the transfer market. With the MLS summer transfer window set to open tomorrow, the Red Bulls will likely be no different. The team has been rumored to be interested in several players—most recently Swansea City midfielder Leon Britton and free agent winger Shawn Wright-Phillips, who has been training with the club. Red Bulls Head Coach Jesse Marsch declined to comment on a move for Britton but stated that Wright-Phillips was only training with the team to regain his fitness.

The Red Bulls are sixth in the Eastern Conference but are only one point behind second-place Columbus Crew SC in the standings. They sit in the last playoff spot in the conference and only hold that position by three points over New York City FC who have already acquired three new players. The Crew and Orlando City SC, another team the Red Bulls trail by only one point, have hinted at being active in the upcoming window.

However, Marsch said he and Sporting Director Ali Curtis will only bid for players that fit into the club’s long-term goals.

“I think from the beginning, we’ve known that this summer’s transfer window was going to be important for us to continue build this team that’s going to honor the identity and the process that we’re building,” Marsch said. “It’s not about trying to solve any riddles and questions right now because we like our team, we like our group.”

With the starting right back Chris Duvall out for up to four months with a broken leg and centerback Ronald Zubar back in France to receive treatment for a quadriceps injury that continues to plague him, the Red Bulls are currently without two players whom they expected to feature throughout the season. Duvall and Zubar’s injuries coupled with fullback Kemar Lawrence participating in his second continental tournament in two months puts a massive strain on the team’s makeshift defensive corps. Marsch said the Red Bulls are looking into ways of supplementing the backline.

“Right now, we are thin in the back but we still feel that there are guys who can fill in in a good way there and also there will be an opportunity for other guys to potentially fill in. Some of our midfielders may have to play outside back, we may have to have a little bit of flexibility with our squad,” Marsch said.

“We have looked into some trades and transfers, we’re looking into some things on that. We don’t want to do anything that is for the next two-to-three games but how it’s going to affect our team moving forward.”

Lawrence acquainted himself well in the recently-completed Copa America playing the full 90 minutes in all three of Jamaica’s matches, and doing well to stifle world star Lionel Messi in the process. At 22, he has already made 19 appearances for Jamaica’s senior team and has secured a starting spot on the left side of the Red Bulls’ defense in his first season with the club.

Another junior member of the Red Bulls defense that is making a name for himself is centerback Matt Miazga. Miazga, 19, started four of the five matches the United States played in at the U20 World Cup last month and has nearly doubled his number of minutes played professionally in one half season. Marsch acknowledged that both players have bright futures but stated that he is focusing on both players’ current status with the club.

“I think it’s natural to talk about young players that are doing well for their national teams and for their other club teams to think about other opportunities for them. Our guys are focused on being here and becoming winners here and they’re also learning that there are other challenges with being an international,” Marsch said.

“They’re good pros, they’re good players and yeah I do think the future is bright for both of them in many ways but right now we’re just happy with them being here.”