Caleb Porter Discusses New Striker

It gives us another attacking option, short term and long term, and obviously it made sense, because we’re using that U22 mechanism to continue to build a more robust and competitive roster.”

Dor Turgeman has yet to arrive in New England but head coach Caleb Porter is excited about his potential on the field.

Turgeman has been signed through the 2028 MLS season, with a club option for 2029, and will join New England after the receipt of his P-1 visa and International Transfer Certificate. The forward is a two-time Israeli champion and Israeli Super Cup winner with Maccabi Tel Aviv FC. With Maccabi, he has recorded 32 goals and 10 assists in 114 appearances.

In the 2024-25 season, he scored 16 goals in 32 games as Tel Aviv won its second consecutive league title. Turgeman also boasts five goals and five assists in European competition across the Europa League, Europa League Qualifying, and UEFA Conference League Qualifying.

When speaking to reports on Thursday, Porter highlighted the attacking prowess that Turgeman possesses.

“A good, young player,” the head coach said. “He has quality around goal. He’s a natural finisher. He’s mobile, so he can move; he’s athletic. Individually, he can create for himself, as well, off the dribble if he needs to. Good profile, and again, a good young player who has quality. It gives us another attacking option, short term and long term, and obviously it made sense, because we’re using that U22 mechanism to continue to build a more robust and competitive roster.”

The acquisition of Turgeman comes after a largely disappointing season for Leo Campana. The striker has scored just five goals this season after being acquired for more than $2 million of General Allocation Money.

While Porter stressed that Turgeman is a move for the future, he did note that he possesses the flexibility to play on the wing or with another striker up top. For a player struggling as much as Campana, having a striker partner could be a crucial aid to the Ecuadorian.

“I think he’s versatile, so I think he can play alone, or he can play together in a two front,” Porter said. “He can even play wide, so I think he’s versatile. His profile isn’t one dimensional. We’re probably going to have him for four or five games this year, so I think it’s important for people to realize that. He is a 21-year-old player transitioning to a new team, a new league, so you’ll probably see more of an impact in the future. But it’s great to have him to close the year out. It gives us another option, and as you can see, we are a little light in the front part of our team in terms of depth.”

Later on in the day, Porter revealed on 98.5 The Sports Hub that Turgeman could make his debut on Sept. 13 while it is possible he plays against Chicago game on Sept. 6 if paperwork is compete and he isn’t called up to the Israeli National Team.