It’s been a busy offseason here at Minnesota United, with a revolving door of player and coach movement reshaping the face of the club as we know it. Just this week, it was confirmed that Head Coach Eric Ramsay and Assistant Coach Dennis Lawrence would be joining West Bromwich Albion of the English Championship, with Cameron Knowles being confirmed as the club’s replacement. We’ll have plenty more for you on the coaching staff updates in the coming days, but for now, let’s get on the same page regarding player movement. 

It’s about time we summarized all of the changes to the roster (so far), establish a bit of background, and start getting excited about the roster ahead of the 2026 season. Sure, we lost some familiar faces, but reinforcements are here and ready to write new stories. Let’s get to it!

What We’ve Lost

Before we start projecting forward, we need to take a look at all the changes that have already been made. 

In:

• Peter Stroud - Midfielder from RBNY

• Tomás Chancalay - Midfielder from New England Revolution

• Drake Callender - Goalkeeper from Charlotte FC

• Britton Fischer - Defender from MNUFC2

Out:

• Dayne St. Clair - Goalkeeper

• Joseph Rosales - Defender

• Robin Lod - Midfielder

• Hassani Dotson - Midfielder

• Samuel Shashoua - Midfielder

• Kipp Keller - Defender

Four names in, six names out. Let’s break down the movement, shall we? The six players leaving the club made a combined 101 appearances for the Loons in 2025, playing a total of just over 7,000 minutes. Only three of them played more than 500 minutes (Lod, St. Clair, Rosales), meaning that essentially half of the departures were regular fixtures on the team sheet last season. Rosales’ season tally came in at 25 appearances and 1,451 minutes, behind Anthony Markanich’s 31 appearances and 1,902 minutes, making Lod and St. Clair the only consistent first-choice options to leave during this window. 

Now, both of them chose to leave after receiving offers to stay, landing in Chicago and Miami respectively. It’s tough to move on from the club’s all-time leading goalscorer and the reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year — but we are. 

I would never diminish either player’s impact on the club; they’re club legends, obviously. But, let’s look at the underlying facts. Lod is 32 now, and experienced a dip in production from 2024 to 2025 (22 goal involvements in 2024, 11 in 2025). Regardless of a player’s club legend status, most teams don’t hand out long-term deals to aging players that have shown signs of a downward trend in form. As far as DSC goes, teams that spend big on their goalkeepers in this league haven’t found much success, historically. Just last season, the top-three highest paid keepers in the league all missed the playoffs entirely (Roman Bürki, Matt Turner, Zack Steffen). It’s undeniable that a pair of safe hands is helpful at the back, but in this league, investments need to be selected carefully.

The New Guys

Now that we’ve talked through the departures, let’s get to the more exciting part: the replacements. We’ll take it one at a time, calling out each player’s unique attributes and providing some context on how they might fill needs within the current squad. 

Drake Callender

• It doesn’t take too much analysis to figure out how Drake Callender will fit into the Loons’ lineup. The former Miami-man comes in to take over where DSC left off, and he’ll be coming in with a chip on his shoulder. There was no real reason to replace him in Miami, as he earned his way to the 2022 Goalkeeper of the Year shortlist and helped the team secure their first trophy on their 2023 Leagues Cup run. When Miami brought in Argentinian goalkeeper Oscar Ustari to cover for the injured Callender in 2024, Messi’s countrymen retained his spot when the previous starter returned from injury, prompting the club to make a trade. He spent the rest of the year in flux behind Kristijan Kahlina in Charlotte, while undeniably more talented than nearly half the starting keepers in the league.

Tomás Chancalay

• When Chancalay joined New England in 2023, he got right to work putting together a highlight tape that would entice any manager in the world. At his best, he possesses a technical ability and finishing touch that is at the very highest standard in the league, and while he’s dealt with injuries since arriving in MLS, he’s entering the prime of his career. If he can stay healthy, he’s a prime candidate to help fill the gap in attacking midfield left by Lod’s departure.

Peter Stroud

• 23-year-old midfielder Peter Stroud has also managed to accumulate an impressive amount of experience during his early career, logging more than 3,500 MLS minutes across 66 games and three seasons (including a starting nod in the 2024 MLS Cup). The former Duke Blue Devil has established himself as a proper number eight, making him a versatile threat at both ends of the pitch. His ability to link his teammates together and get up and down the field makes him a valuable presence in the midfield, slotting in to fill a similar role to Hassani Dotson.

Britton Fischer

• Another Twos player has earned their way to the top! Fischer has been with MNUFC2 since 2023, logging more than 70 appearances on the backline and developing into a legitimate option at center back. The 21-year-old defender already has more professional experience under his belt than most players his age, and given his physical profile, he’s primed to take the next step in his career. While he likely won’t take a starting spot right away, he’ll provide flexibility, depth, and cover as needed without missing a beat.

With plenty of time left for more transfer movement, this article is certainly not a final list. Players could both come and go before the deadline, and with plenty of GAM to play with (don’t worry, we’re doing a GAM refresher article this offseason), your Loons are in a strong position to make a splash. Stay tuned for our first Preseason Report of the year at the end of this week for the latest insights into any and all team developments ahead of the season.