Over the past couple of seasons, D.C. United has had plenty of success in bringing in players from Argentina on loan. In 2016, it was Luciano Acosta, who was bought permanently after a promising 2016 season, before exploding for a stellar second half of the 2018 campaign.
Last year, after Atlanta United couldn’t bring in Yamil Asad permanently, the Black-and-Red swooped in, and saw Asad score nine goals and tally eight assists while on loan. Due to transfer complications, though, it doesn’t appear that Asad will come back to United on a permanent basis, instead returning to Velez Sarsfield.
However, United had already announced the loan signing of Lucas Rodriguez from Estudiantes in Argentina on Dec. 31, hoping that they can reap the rewards of going to the well once again. Rodriguez, who in 2017, played in the U-20 World Cup for Argentina, has experience playing at a number 10 and on the wings. The 21-year-old began preseason with the Black and Red this week and is eager to get his MLS career underway.
“I heard it’s a great club, great facilities and a great group of guys,” Rodriguez told reporters through an interpreter on Wednesday, during the team’s open practice. “They have helped me, especially with the language, feel comfortable here, and I’m excited to get going.”
Rodriguez joins the club already familiar with one his new teammates. Rodriguez and Acosta were both at Estudiantes in 2015. Rodriguez didn’t consult Acosta on whether or not to sign for United, but did speak to his former teammate before joining up with the Black and Red.
“Right before I came, I asked him how the club was, and he said it was really good, and I would enjoy it,” Rodriguez said of Acosta, who scored 10 goals and assisted on 17 others in a spectacular 2018. “Now that I’m here, he’s helping me out, with being part of the team.”
When Acosta was initially brought in to D.C. in 2016, the playmaker was looked to be the fulcrum of United’s attacking corps. That didn’t pan out immediately, and head coach Ben Olsen has said recently that maybe too much pressure was put on Acosta in that first year, even if United’s number 10 posted a solid three-goal, 11-assist year.
There won’t be the same issue with Rodriguez. “Titi” as he is known, joins a club already well stocked offensively, with Wayne Rooney leading line. Acosta seems to be the perfect compliment to Rooney, and the likes of Asad, Paul Arriola and Zoltan Stieber provided big numbers in 2018. The hope then is that Rodriguez, without being the focal point, can seamlessly transition into the team, and start to replicate the production immediately.
“We are in a better spot. The roster is better,” Olsen told reporters earlier this week, about the how the situations varied when Acosta and Rodriguez joined United. “The players around [Rodriguez] are better than when Lucho first arrived. So hopefully we can speed that process up, to get him where Lucho is currently a little bit quicker.”
What might also benefit Rodriguez is the amount of experience the soon to be 22-year-old has. The diminutive attacker has plenty of experience playing in Primera Division in Argentina, along with continental experience in the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana.
“I played over 100 games with Estudiantes in Argentina, so I think I’m ready for this here,” Rodriguez said of playing in MLS. “Wayne and Lucho were fundamental in the club’s success last year. I just hope to be at that level and help bring success to the club.”
The final piece to the puzzle with Titi will be for Olsen to figure out where he best fits in the team. Rodriguez has plenty of experience in all sorts of attacking positions. It appears that with Acosta playing in the middle and Arriola on the right, the best avenue for Rodriguez will be on the left wing, where he’ll compete with Stieber for minutes.
But Olsen is open to any possible option, and will be using the preseason to figure out how best to utilize Rodriguez.
“His versatility is something we liked in getting him,” Olsen said on Wednesday. “It gives us some tactical flexibility, too. Now we can have another offensive, attack-minded guy and maybe tweak our current style.”
Steven Streff, a lifelong fan of the beautiful game, has been covering D.C. United since the 2009 season for various outlets. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram.