New players face fight to be starters

‘All 11 spots are open for competition’ at January training camp, official says.

At the most pessimistic, Atlanta United at least added depth with four trades completed Sunday, the four players it added in Tuesday’s expansion draft and a free agent signed Wednesday.

At the most optimistic, the club added eight starters for its 2017 inaugural MLS season.

Those in charge of finding and signing those players are open to anything ahead of January’s training camp, when the battles will begin.

“We don’t have starters on the field,” club technical director Carlos Bocanegra said Monday. “All 11 spots are open for competition.”

On Wednesday, Atlanta United agreed to terms with free agent Jeff Larentowicz.

The 33-year-old midfielder has 324 regular-season appearances in MLS, including 23 last season with Los Angeles. He has scored 38 goals with 19 assists in a career that includes stops at New

England (2005-09), where he appeared in three consecutive MLS Cup finals, Colorado (2010-12), who won the MLS Cup in 2010, Chicago (2013-15) and the Galaxy.

After that signing, Atlanta United has 18 players on its roster: two goalkeepers (Alex Tambakis and Alex Kann), four defenders (Michael Parkhurst, Zach Loyd, Mark Bloom and Mikey Ambrose), eight midfielders (Hector Villalba, Miguel Almiron, Andrew Carleton, Chris Goslin, Chris McCann, Kevin Kratz, Harrison Heath and Larentowicz), and four forwards (Kenwyne Jones, Brandon Vazquez, Romario Williams and Jeffrey Otoo).

The team released midfielder Junior Burgos on Wednesday.

Atlanta United reportedly is trying to sign U.S. men’s national-team goalkeeper Brad Guzan and also reportedly is on the verge of adding midfielder Oscar Romero as its third designated player. Neither Eales nor Bocanegra would discuss Guzan on Monday. An Atlanta United spokesman declined to comment on Romero.

The free-agency window opened in MLS on Tuesday afternoon. Atlanta United could sign another player to add league experience and leadership to a squad that features 10 players 25 years old or younger.

MLS will hold its waiver draft today. That draft is for less-experienced players who don’t meet the criteria for free agency, or the re-entry draft, which starts Friday. The SuperDraft, for college players, will be Jan. 13 in Los Angeles. Atlanta United has the Nos. 2 and 8 picks in the first round of a four-round draft.

Based upon experience and results as professionals, without trying to predict whom the team may yet sign, the starting lineup for the first game in March likely would include Kann in goal; Parkhurst, Loyd and Bloom in defense; Villalba, Almiron, McCann and Kratz in midfield; and Jones at forward. That leaves at least two starting jobs that need more competition. The wild cards are Ambrose and Heath, as well as the reported but not yet confirmed signings of Guzan and Romero. Both likely would start.

Because the team features several players who are younger than 20 (Carleton, Atlanta United has added eight players since Sunday: Mikey Ambrose (D) Kevin Kratz (M) Mark Bloom (D) Zach Loyd (D) Harrison Heath (M) Mark Parkhurst (D) Alec Kann (GK) Romario Williams (F) Goslin, Otoo and Vazquez) and who seem likely to be loaned to a USL club to gain experience as pros, Atlanta United likely will use free agency to add a spot starter and the waiver, re-entry and SuperDraft to add depth at all positions for the short, medium and long terms, a phrase and philosophy that club President Darren Eales ardently believes in.

“We will look at every mechanism to put a roster together,” Eales said Tuesday.