New England general manager Michael Burns insists the trade for Juan Agudelo in May provides the Revolution with the flexibility to approach the summer transfer window with an eye on quality, not quantity.
Agudelo's move from Chivas USA filled the club's stated need to acquire a forward to bolster Jay Heaps' options in the final third. The performances of the currently injured U.S. international striker solved those issues and steered the Revs toward a more pragmatic approach to their current 29-man squad at the start of the window.
“We feel like we got a head start on the summer window after making the trade with Chivas to bring Juan here,” Burns told MLSsoccer.com by phone on Thursday. “He was the exact type of player we were looking for. We got a jump start on the window, if you will, by making that trade.”
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It does not mean, however, that the Revs will skip the window entirely. Heaps has run the rule over several players on trial over the past few weeks in a bid to assess potential signings, according to Burns. The prospect of adding one or two of them – or someone else entirely – remains on the radar, but the emphasis remains on finding players to supplement the existing core of the squad.
“We want to be smart,” Burns said. “If we can get a player or two that can help us, then we're going to do it. But we don't feel like we need to make a move just to make a move.”
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That mindset constitutes a switch from previous, more desperate summers and suggests the standards for this group remain high heading into the second half of the season. Burns said he expects the Revs – with or without a couple of additional players – to vie for a postseason berth as the campaigns winds to its conclusion.
“We do feel like we've put ourselves in position during the first half of the season to compete for a playoff spot,” Burns said. “And we feel like we have the makeup to get one, we really do. I know those are just words, but we feel like we're deep enough and we have good enough players in the team to have a good second half of the year. That's the mindset of the coaches, the players, the staff and the entire organization.”
