The Boys in Black and Blue are just days away from returning to California for their final preseason test: the Coachella Valley Invitational. This annual tournament in Southern California gives MLS squads a chance to do some final calibrations before starting the season, with 12 of the league’s 30 teams choosing this training ground as their final stop before the 2026 season gets underway. With three matches on the schedule, it should offer plenty of minutes and opportunities for Head Coach Cameron Knowles to fine-tune his roster.
Roster movement hasn’t slowed down since the squad returned to Blaine late last week, nor has the training schedule. Since the last Preseason Report, the club has sent midfielder Hoyeon Jung out on loan to Korean side Suwon Samsung Bluewings for the duration of the 2026 season, with an option to make the deal permanent. We’ve also seen forwards Mauricio González and Marcus Caldeira join the ranks most recently, bringing a pair of unique attacking profiles to a Loons side that’s looking to add a few more goals.
Another new signing, midfielder Peter Stroud, has now had a few weeks to settle into the squad and shared his early thoughts with the media, including his goals for his new side.
“I think that it's a very ambitious club,” Stroud said of MNUFC. “I think you see the players they bring in — especially some of these attacking players they brought in in the past couple years — and you see that they're pushing the right buttons, always trying to make the team better. I think to see a club make the Western Conference semi-finals two years in a row, that's not a small feat. Now, having that experience, I think the most important thing is trying to get over that hurdle. A lot goes into that, obviously, but everything we're doing as a club is to go and get those trophies. We’ve got four trophies available this year: Supporters’ Shield, MLS Cup, Leagues Cup and [U.S.] Open Cup. We’ve got opportunities.”
Having started in the 2024 MLS Cup final, Stroud is one of several players to have experience competing for trophies on this Loons roster, alongside Julian Gressel (MLS Cup x2, Supporters’ Shield, U.S. Open Cup) and fellow new signing Drake Callender (Supporters’ Shield, Leagues Cup).
With a core group of veterans, a new contingent of young, hungry talent, and a strong defensive identity that was very close to earning them a trophy last season, the Loons are looking to use the upcoming Coachella Valley Invitational as a chance to pull all of the pieces together. The aim is not just to maintain last year’s placement but to lean on the experiences of this group’s leaders and take the next step.
The first match in California won’t be until next Saturday, so be sure to check back in next week for more updates on how to watch the match and any other MNUFC news that comes up between now and the next Preseason Report.
