It’s been a quiet secondary transfer window for D.C. United, currently the worst team in MLS in 2017. A flurry of rumors came to the forefront this past week, but there have not been any positive conclusions for the Black-and-Red. But on Wednesday night, the Washington Post’s Steve Goff reported that the club is now interested in Gary Medel, a Chilean defender/defensive midfielder who currently plays for Inter Milan.
Medel, who turned 30 as the calendar flipped from Wednesday to Thursday, currently has one year remaining on his contract with Inter, which presumably would require United to pay a transfer fee to bring the player over. However, Inter is partly owned by Erick Thohir, who is the majority owner of D.C. United. That link hasn’t benefited United much since 2012, but it might help facilitate a move, though Medel would of course have to be interested in playing in MLS.
According to Goff, Medel has moved ahead of Nigel de Jong in terms of United’s pursuits. United had been in talks with de Jong, who spent part of the 2016 season with the LA Galaxy, before heading back to Europe to play with Galatasaray. But on Sunday, he popped up on the radar as a potential signing for United, though that prospect was heavily debated among Black-and-Red supporters.
Medel is mainly a defender with Chile, but has played at a defensive midfielder in club soccer. He has been an integral part of Chile’s recent success, having made his international debut in 2007. In addition to playing at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, Medel has also played in three Copa Americas, winning the tournament in 2015 and 2016. He also was part of the Chile team that participated in this summer’s Confederations Cup.
Though United’s playoff chances seem to be nonexistent at this point of the season, they still need help, especially looking forward to the 2018 season. United are the third worst defensive team in the league, having conceded 42 goals in 22 games. Their -24 goal differential is the worst in the league, and presumably Medel could come in and help shore up a team that has been under-performing this year.