Potential free agent targets for the Houston Dynamo

(image via transfermarkt.com)

Free agency is officially undwerway in Major League Soccer. The Houston Dynamo have two first team players out of contract meaning there will be some potential holes to fill and some depth will be needed. The Dynamo will be in four competitions this coming season, so expect high impact depth pieces to be a priority. Luckily for the Dynamo, this free agent class is stacked with veterans who can make a difference off the bench. Let’s take a look at which players the Dynamo should be looking at in each position.

Goalkeepers

Nobody

Simple answer when it comes to looking at the group of goalkeepers available in free agency. Steve Clark is clearly the guy for now and Xavier Valdez is looking like the future. Andrew Tarbell is also under contract for another season, so there is no reason to upgrade the depth.

Defenders

Julian Gressel

Julian Gressel is likely the best player available in this free agency class and can fill in a potential need for the Dynamo. If Griffin Dorsey decides not to re-sign with the team, Gressel needs to be a player they look at. Even if Dorsey does sign, Gressel could be an interesting option to add to the midfield and could maybe excel in the role Coco Carrasquilla played this past season.

Miles Robinson

The reality is that Miles Robinson is going to want a big paycheck and the Dynamo don’t necessarily need a starting center back. It’s hard to talk about free agent defenders without mentioning his name, but this may not be a realistic move and would be a luxury signing.

Derrick Williams

Derrick is not the flashiest name on this list but he could fill in a need for the team. With Teenage Hadebe departing, another left-footed center back would be a great addition to the roster. Following a solid season with D.C. United, Williams could be a good depth piece for the Dynamo.

Andy Najar

The Dynamo have a history of signing Honduran players, so this move would make some sense. Najar is a versatile defender that could cover both Dorsey or Franco Escobar’s roles within the team. Najar would be a nice depth signing for the team.

Tommy Thompson

This is more of a wild card option as Tommy Thompson hasn’t played his best soccer in some time now. Maybe getting an opportunity to play as a backup to Dorsey and have a free role to get forward is exactly what Tommy needs right now. There has always been some talent in Thompson that has yet to be explored while playing for messy San Jose Earthquakes teams his whole career.

Midfielders

Nicolas Lodeiro

There is nothing Pat and Ben like more these days than a veteran player where trophies follow them to every club they play for. Lodeiro may not have a lot left in the tank but he would be an excellent player to bring in to start occasionally while being able to terrorize teams off the bench. Someone with his talents is exactly what the Dynamo were missing off the bench against LAFC.

Omir Fernandez

Omir finally had his breakthrough with the Red Bulls after showing so much promise early in his career. Omir has an excellent work rate and could play either in midfield or out wide. He would be an excellent player to challenge Carrasquilla and Sebastian Kowalczyk from the bench.

Dax McCarty

Continuing with the trend of veteran depth pieces, McCarty has been there and done that with every situation and challenge that might come a team’s way. He may not have a lot left to give but he would provide some excellent cover and leadership to the locker room.

Jan Gregus

Gregus is another veteran player who might not have the ability to be a regular starter for this team. He excels at moving the ball through midfield, as he is one of the better passers MLS has seen in recent years. Ask him to do more than that these days and he has a hard time making an impact. He could be solid cover for Hector Herrera as the team could use more players with an expansive passing range.

Yamil Asad

Asad is another wild card pick that might not make a whole lot of sense. He is a player who has shown flashes of absolute brilliance in MLS while also having seasons like 2023 where he contributes almost nothing. Maybe a team where he can get some more space and freedom to operate could be good for a player like him.

Forwards

Danny Musovski

If the team is moving on from Corey Baird, then Musovski is a near like for like replacement. Like Corey, Musovski can play a role in the pressing game and open space with his intelligent off ball movement. He is not the biggest goal threat, but he certainly compliments the Dynamo roster and would be a solid replacement.

Josef Martinez

Martinez is not the most realistic signing or the best fit for this team but he is worthy of a mention. I’m sure another team in MLS will overpay for Josef and make him the star of their team but he would be a nice addition on a team friendly contract, but that is a major doubt.

Gustavo Bou

Bou would be a great option for this team as he is one of those forwards who can do a bit of everything. Ben Olsen recently talked about wanting a forward in that vein on Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis. He would be a risk as he is fairly injury prone these days. If he can be acquired without a DP contract, then that would be an excellent move for the Dynamo.

Kei Kamara

Would bringing Kamara back to the Dynamo at 39 years old be a good idea? Possibly, because even at an older age, he still has an incredible eye for the goal. He always knows where to be to put himself in a scoring position. He managed to score five goals last season in 1500 minutes for a poor Chicago Fire team. He’s still got what it takes to be a bench piece in MLS.

Fafa Picault

I already know what people are thinking reading this and I get it. Fafa would be my wild card pick for the forwards because his profile just makes a lot of sense for this team. If his contract last season was not so outrageous, he could’ve been a great player under Ben Olsen. His playstyle is very similar to Nelson Quinones as he is also a two-way winger who hustles nonstop for his team. If it is possible to acquire him on a depth contract, then it could be a weird but effective move.