New York Red Bulls: what to know about Gerhard Struber’s squad for start of 2023 MLS season

New York Red Bulls are three-time Supporters’ Shield winners, but - unlike city rivals New York City FC - they’re yet to lift the Major League Soccer title.

And it’s not like there has been a litany of hugely near misses, either. Though the Red Bulls generally make the playoffs - it’s 12 years since they failed to qualify for the postseason - the men from the Big Apple have only ever reached one MLS Cup final in their history: a 2008 defeat to Columbus Crew.

Red Bulls suffered another first-round exit in 2022

Last season, Gerhard Struber’s men finished fourth in the Eastern Conference - sixth overall - before going down 2-1 to Cincinnati FC in the opening round of the playoffs. That defeat to the Orange and Blue, which came despite the New Yorkers leading at Red Bull Arena with a quarter of an hour to play, made it three years in a row that the club has fallen at the first hurdle in the postseason.

Who have New York Red Bulls signed for 2023 season?

As the Red Bulls target a deep playoff run for the first time since they reached the conference finals in 2018, the franchise has sought to add goals to an attack that managed only 50 in the 2022 regular season - more than just one other member of the top 10 in the Supporters’ Shield standings.

Forward Dante Vanzeir, who scored 48 times in 91 appearances for Belgian side Union SG, has joined for what could turn out to be a club-record fee. Vanzeir, who has one Belgium cap, has arrived for an initial fee reported to be $5.3m - but the add-ons included in the deal could see the 24-year-old’s final price surpass the $6.25m that the Red Bulls shelled out for Alejando Romero Gamarra in 2018.

In attack, New York have also added former Philadelphia Union forward Cory Burke and have made Elías Manoel’s loan move from Gremio permanent.

Meanwhile, right-back Kyle Duncan’s loan from Oostende has been extended for another season, and young defenders Curtis Ofori and Jayden Reid have been promoted from the club’s academy to the first team. Midfielder Peter Stroud has graduated to the senior squad, too.

Among the players who have left in the off season are captain Aaron Long, who has joined Los Angeles FC after seven seasons in New York, and striker Patryk Klimala, who has moved to Israeli club Hapoel Be’er Sheva after managing just 14 goals across two seasons in the US.

New York Red Bulls’ 2023 MLS squad

Goalkeepers: Carlos Coronel, AJ Marcucci, Ryan Meara

Defenders: Kyle Duncan, Hassan Ndam, Dylan Nealis, Sean Nealis, Matt Nocita, Curtis Ofori, Jayden Reid, Andrés Reyes, John Tolkin

Midfielders: Frankie Amaya, Wikelman Carmona, Cristian Cássares, Daniel Edelman, Bento Estrela, Omir Fernandez, Luquinhas, Lewis Morgan, Steven Sserwadda, Peter Stroud, Dru Yearwood

Forwards: Tom Barlow, Cory Burke, Cameron Harper, Elias Manoel, Serge Ngoma, Dante Vanzeir

When is New York Red Bulls’ first game of the 2023 MLS season?

The Red Bulls get their 2023 MLS campaign underway with a trip to face Orlando City on Saturday 25 February, with kick-off at Exploria Stadium scheduled for 7:30pm ET. New York have been victorious on their last two MLS visits to Orlando, including a 3-0 win in the 2022 regular season. Goals by Luquinhas, Cristian Cássares and Lewis Morgan secured a comfortable triumph in the Sunshine State last April.

At a glance: Red Bulls’ first five games