Dec 31 Red Bulls Add Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting To Begin Offseason Rebound From MLS Cup Disappointment | OneFootball

The New York Red Bulls might have fallen short in MLS Cup 2024, but they are coming out strong in the roster build for 2025 and beyond! I wrote a bit about this first move in a previous article but the club has traded away striker Elias Manoel to Real Salt Lake for $700,000 in GAM and retain a sell on % for him if he’s sold outside of MLS. $700,000 in GAM for a striker that has not proven to be starting quality within the league is a steal of a trade in my opinion. The Red Bulls moved on from one striker and added a DP one in return. The Red Bulls have added former PSG and Bayern Munich star Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting on a DP deal. Choupo-Moting is a 35 year old Cameroon international who has played at the highest levels in the beautiful game. He has played at the World Cup, AFCON, won the FIFA Club World Cup, won the German Bundesliga, won Ligue 1, and countless cups in between. He is 35 years old which does concern me in this Red Bull system. But, if he can find the form he had for Bayern Munich only a few seasons ago, he could be an excellent piece next to Emil Forsberg.

The club also went out an signed another veteran in centerback Alexander Hack. The club traded away centerback Andres Reyes to expansion side San Diego FC ahead of the MLS expansion draft and with that, leaving a hole at the centerback position. Red Bull Manager Sandro Schwarz went back to a former player of his in Hack who last played for Al-Qadsiah in the Saudi Arabian 2nd division where he won a league title. Hack has over 130 career games played in the German Bundesliga and should slot in as a strong centerback next to captain Sean Nealis.

The Red Bulls also added two players from the MLS Next Pro side New York Red Bulls II. The first was left-back Omar Valencia who is a 20 year old Panamanian international. Valencia has roughly 3,200 career minutes played for the Red Bulls II with 6 assists. Valencia did make his Red Bull first team debut this past season. The other signing is defensive midfielder Adri Mehmeti who is a current U.S. and Albanian youth international. The 15 year old Mehmeti has almost 700 career minutes played for the Red Bulls II in MLS Next Pro.

If year one under Sandro Schwarz is any indication of how his time leading the Red Bulls, then you have to trust the process this off-season. Some big names and youth development is already a bit of a different kind of off-season for the Red Bulls.