Christmas Wishlist: 1 area each club has to strengthen this offseason
The holiday season is now upon us and millions of children around the world are counting down the sleeps until Santa Claus pays them a visit, but general managers around Major League Soccer will also be hoping their wishlists are a little bit shorter after the break.
Here is one area each club will hope to address in the offseason:
Atlanta United
Defenders: Atlanta has surprisingly few needs going into its inaugural season, but with just four defenders on its roster, the club will need to sign a few more.
Chicago Fire
Goalkeeper: Short of wishing for the cancellation of NBC's action-drama "Chicago Fire," the team could use a new goalkeeper since Sean Johnson was traded.
Colorado Rapids:
No. 10: Losing Jermaine Jones left the Colorado Rapids with a hole in midfield and there is still a clear need for a true No. 10 to help connect the other pieces.
Columbus Crew SC
Center-backs: Michael Parkhurst is gone, Gaston Sauro is out injured for 2017 and Columbus Crew SC now need to sign a few center-backs as a result.
D.C. United
Full-backs: Sean Franklin may have re-signed with D.C. United out of free agency, but he and Taylor Kemp are now the only full-backs on the roster.
FC Dallas
Big-name star: FC Dallas is a balanced team on paper, but what the club needs most is a well-known star to help fill empty seats at Toyota Stadium.
Houston Dynamo
Left full-back: DaMarcus Beasley is currently a free agent, so the Houston Dynamo might be in the market for a new left full-back if he isn't re-signed.
LA Galaxy
Two DPs: The LA Galaxy boast just one star player in Giovani Dos Santos and will likely add a pair to replace Steven Gerrard and Robbie Keane.
Minnesota United
A miracle: At the time of this writing, Minnesota has eight players penned to its roster. The club still needs to make plenty of additions before its MLS debut.
Montreal Impact
Midfielder: The Montreal Impact's midfield triumvirate has been broken up with Patrice Bernier's departure, so another midfield talent is now on the cards.
New England Revolution
Center-backs: The New England Revolution are short on core options, with only five defenders penned to its roster at this time. They'll need a few more.
New York City FC
3rd DP: David Villa and Andrea Pirlo return for the 2017 season, but with Frank Lampard heading out, NYCFC is in the market for a third star player.
New York Red Bulls
Defenders: The New York Red Bulls have let Aurelien Collin, Ronald Zubar, and Damien Perrinelle depart, and will need to sign new defenders as a result.
Orlando City
Will Johnson: Orlando City has been linked with Will Johnson, and the veteran midfielder brings bite and tenacity to a midfield needing exactly that.
Philadelphia Union
A few forwards: C.J. Sapong is the only natural forward on the Philadelphia Union roster, so there's plenty of room for a few more options up top.
Portland Timbers
Center-backs: With just Liam Ridgewell and Gbenga Arokoyo as listed options, the Portland Timbers could certainly use a couple more center-backs.
Real Salt Lake
No. 10: Javier Morales has been the key man for Real Salt Lake for a long time, but a new era has come for RSL and a new No. 10 must take his place.
San Jose Earthquakes
Big-name star: The San Jose Earthquakes have been quiet ... too quiet. Signing a star player to bring the team back into the spotlight would be lovely.
Seattle Sounders
Depth, everywhere: With CONCACAF Champions League action to worry about, the Seattle Sounders could use more bodies in every position in 2017.
Sporting Kansas City
Forward: Dom Dwyer scored 16 goals in 2016, but Sporting Kansas City's second most came from Benny Feilhaber (7). Another scoring outlet would help
Toronto FC
Link-up man: Whether it's a No. 10, or a box-to-box creative midfielder, Toronto FC could use a midfield man to connect the lines up front and behind.
Vancouver Whitecaps
Goal-scoring hero: Once again, the Vancouver Whitecaps are in the market for a striker who can score, whether by tap-in, header, or blistering rockets.