Trivia time: Which MLS club just acquired a 30-something European midfielder from Inter Miami right around the end of the transfer window? If you said Minnesota United, you’re right. If you said Austin FC, you’re also right. If you said any of the 28 other clubs… how did you even get here?
Julian Gressel has been bouncing around Major League Soccer as long as Minnesota has been in it, starting out in Atlanta in 2017 and logging time with D.C., Vancouver, Columbus, and Miami before touching down in the Twin Cities. The Loons’ newest addition plays both fullback and midfield, and that positional flexibility should serve Minnesota well going forward. Down south, Austin has traded for winger and midfielder Robert Taylor, who’s been with Miami since 2022. These guys bring a lot of versatility to their respective sides, which is exactly what both of them need right now.
Austin and Minnesota are actually in pretty similar spots right now — third and fourth in the West, respectively — and it looks like this is the weekend that could really set them apart. Both clubs have 16 points to their name and have managed land near the top of the conference, but they’re walking on a wire — everyone on the pitch Saturday will have something to prove, and now they’ve got two former flamingos (sorry, herons, I guess) to help them do it. Let’s take a look at how these new additions fit into formation.
Robert Taylor
After making his way through Finland, Sweden, and Norway, Robert Taylor crossed the pond to Miami and settled down there for a little over three seasons. He logged 13 goals and 5 assists in 93 MLS appearances, playing as a left winger and occasionally wingback. Miami usually saw him up front, often flanking Luis Suárez with Lionel Messi or Gressel on the right to balance him out. So where does he fit into Austin’s lineup?
There are a couple of lineups to choose from, actually, so let’s address that first. So far, El Tree (no, not Los Trees. I guess there’s just one lonely tree) has shifted between playing a 4-3-3 and a 4-4-2. Nico Estévez’s side has seen mixed success in the 4-4-2, tallying three wins, a draw, and three losses in that particular formation. Austin’s primary shortfall in that setup, and this season in general, has been their attack on the left. They need a guy to come in and be a dynamic playmaker on that side of the field, and that’s exactly what they’ve just gotten from Miami. Taylor can easily slot into either of Austin’s favored formations, elevating their wide playmaking ability whether he’s on the wing opposite Osman Bukari or falling in up front.
Julian Gressel
Let’s jump over to the right side of the field and move on to our next former heron. If you look back at Miami’s starting lineups in 2024, you’ll see that Gressel slotted into the squad all up and down the right side. He’d show up in the midfield as a wide right for one game, pop up to right wingback just a week later, and then spend the next weekend up front flanking Luis Suárez (with Robert Taylor on the other side). And he’s been successful in all of those places. In 32 MLS appearances last season, he started 31 games, logging one goal and 12 assists, with a passing percentage of 84. That positional fluidity is going to be crucial for a Loons side that needs to free up some high scorers for the press.
“I think I’ve shown throughout my career that I have different qualities,” Gressel said. “In the system that we play in, that I think will play a pretty nice role, and if that’s service out wide or kind of as a right wingback, that’s kind of fitting in nicely.” He also spoke with Ramsay about the potential of playing in the midfield in an effort to make Minnesota’s play a bit less predictable by opening up possibilities for different formations and playstyles.
Anyone who’s been paying attention knows that the Loons have favored consistency over variety this season. Ramsay’s side has yet to move out of a 5-3-2, save for a few late in-game adjustments. The end of an eight-game unbeaten streak plus Gressel’s signing might point to a larger structural change for these level-headed Loons, but what does that look like? It seems likely that Gressel will fall into place on the backline in order to create space for the likes of Bongokuhle Hlongwane to move up the field a bit, but seeing him in the midfield to create that same availability for Robin Lod is also on the table. That versatility was a key aspect of his appeal for Ramsay, who said earlier this week that Gressel will be involved on the field in some capacity this Saturday.
Gressel’s right-footed playmaking could be the perfect balance to Pereyra and Rosales’s well-oiled system on the left side of the pitch. He’s served over 100 crosses every season since 2018 (1,287 total in MLS), and that could be key to making Minnesota more of a threat in the final third. His acumen when it comes to crosses and set pieces should fit right into the Minnesota United profile while adding a whole lot of experience and field awareness. Combine that with his proven winning pedigree, and Gressel could be the boost the Loons need to get real comfortable in the top four this year.
