DC United enters next phase of its rebuild as MLS restarts play – WTOP News

As Major League Soccer paused its season during the FIFA men’s World Cup, Erkut Sogut’s job never stopped. Instead, Sogut, the managing director of soccer operations for D.C. United, spent much of the break on the road, making player deals as part of the club’s roster rebuild.

“The plane is an office for me,” Sogut said.

With the World Cup festivities in the rearview, United is looking to capture some of the D.C.-area soccer attention. Unbeaten in its last four matches, including a 2-1 comeback win at home against Toronto on Saturday, United sits ninth in the Eastern Conference and in position for the final playoff spot.

Sogut spoke with WTOP about the club’s recent player acquisitions, its goals to improve the roster and the timeline needed to make D.C. United a contender.

Busy summer of roster moves

As D.C.’s de facto general manager, Sogut has been focused on making key moves before the end of the secondary transfer window on Sept. 2. He recently returned from a trip to Japan and plans to go to Europe soon. While maintaining his residence in Los Angeles, Sogut makes regular trips to United’s training facility in Loudoun County, Virginia, and is seen at most of its matches.

“If you sit in an office in one place, you don’t develop,” Sogut said. “You’re just more doing administrational work. That’s not my job. My job is to bring the right players, negotiate the contracts, and make the team better.”

Recently, United acquired Salvadoran international Nathan Ordaz from LAFC for over $2 million. Despite making only nine appearances with Los Angeles this season, the 20-year-old is seen as a versatile attacking threat for D.C. as a midfielder or striker.

Sogut recalled flying with Ordaz to D.C. after the trade and inviting him to dinner to get him comfortable with his club.

“He ticks many boxes for us, and on top of that, he’s a fantastic character,” Sogut said. 

United also signed free agent midfielder Andre Dozzell to bolster its central midfield depth. The 27-year-old Englishman, who previously played at English Championship side Portsmouth, has already started making an impact, starting in United’s two matches after the World Cup break.

“I like to get my forward players on the ball. I like to get on the ball and pass forward and give everything to the team,” Dozzell said Saturday. “Just give everything. That’s how my game is. Hopefully, the fans will like me and hopefully, it is a successful time here.”

D.C. plans to announce another signing this week. The club has already posted a teaser video on social media. Sogut wouldn’t confirm who was being signed but said the new player would in his early 20s who can “make us stronger and bring a lot of quality.” 

The additions come after two high-profile departures. Midfielder Gabriel Pirani was traded to San Diego for $1 million and defender Aaron Herrera was released on waivers. Both players were making over $1.8 million this season but had fallen out of favor with head coach René Weiler.

Regarding Herrera, who was in the final year of his contract, Sogut said United did not plan to renew or offer the Guatemalan a new deal. Once Herrera told D.C. he wanted to leave, it was “mutually agreed” to release him so he may find another club.

“It’s a part of the business in football,” Sogut said. “You have players that stay longer, and you have players they go sooner or later. They have their own journey. We have the journey as a club.” 

Looking ahead

When asked about his current roster, Sogut said United is better than last season’s squad that finished in last place. He pointed to the additions of league veterans, such as striker Tai Baribo and goalkeeper Sean Johnson, for bringing experience that changed the culture inside a defeated locker room.

“It’s a different environment,” he said. “It’s a different culture. It’s more like a winning mentality. It’s not giving up. They give everything until the end.”

United still has one designated player slot to use, a status given to high-valued players whose wages do not entirely count against a team’s salary cap. A team spokesperson told WTOP the club also has an open international spot, a mechanism MLS teams use to sign nondomestic players.

However, Sogut cautioned fans against expecting a big signing in the immediate future. He previously called the summer transfer window after the World Cup “inflated,” and told WTOP he will only press forward with a new designated player “only if the right one comes.”

“We will not make anymore deals. It doesn’t matter if it’s a (designated player) or not. Just to make a deal? that will not happen,” Sogut said. “It has to be the player we are looking for who makes our team better.”

What fans may see is more academy players joining the main roster.

Midfielder Oscar Avilez, 16, recently participated in the MLS Next Pro’s All-Star Game and was included on the matchday roster against Toronto. Sogut said he hopes Avilez will play some minutes with the first team during the second half the season.

Despite MLS’ roster rules, Sogut’s ultimate goal is to have a full roster with two starter-caliber ready players in each position. Weiler has repeatedly said D.C. will need up to three transfer windows to add the players needed to build a winning team.

Sogut agreed with his coach, but noted that the club is currently sitting on a playoff spot and that could allow them to push their rebuild earlier.

“They’ll see that we’re adding quality to the team, and they will continuously see a better team on the pitch and off the pitch. That’s our goal. That‘s my promise for them,” Sogut said. “That’s what I’m doing with my team, because in the end, we want to be successful.”

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