Hartford Athletic Looking to Add to Roster Amid Good Results
Examining where the Latics might turn to as Brendan Burke aims beef up his squad
Amid a club-record eight-game unbeaten streak, the sale of record-setting forward Mamadou Dieng has left Hartford Athletic with a big hole in their front line and suddenly an influx of resources with which to help plug it. While wholesale changes are unlikely, a few key additions seem almost certain as the club aims for a first playoff berth since 2020 and a continued run in the USL Jägermeister Cup
For most of the early part of the season, it seemed that Brendan Burke was not going to be able to strengthen one of the smallest squads in the Championship. Apart from a 25-day contract for Justin Ingram and the loan acquisition of Jack Panayotou, there was no incoming movement, even as the Latics frequently had fewer than 18 professional players available for selection on gameday.
Something has clearly changed, though.
First, Hartford acquired Baboucarr Njie. Then, Owen Presthus was also added on loan. And after Saturday’s triumph in El Clamico, Burke signalled a shift in the front office mentality.
“There will be more signings next week, you know, I think ownership deserve credit…They can see the proof of concept with all the winning we're doing,” he said. They're really getting behind it and that's going to be important in the run-in.”
Burke was pretty clear that one signing — for a veteran forward that has played for him before — was imminent. When Burke talks about a USL veteran that he has a long association with — as he did after El Clamico on Saturday — there’s only one free agent who matches that description: Hadji Barry. Whether this is the right move or not — Barry doesn’t seem to have played competitive minutes in a year, and had fitness issues in Egypt into the bargain — it seems all but certain that this will be the move, as Hartford looks to replace some of Mamadou Dieng’s production down the stretch.
It’s possible, of course, that a move for Barry doesn’t work out or that there’s more smoke than fire around this particular move, in which case Burke would have to look elsewhere if he wanted to supplement his side. Essentially, there are three avenues to pursue: find a free agent, buy a forward, or swing a loan. Each possibility presents challenges.
By the end of August, there simply aren’t many veteran USL forwards available (you could look abroad, but you run risks there too: how quickly will a player adapt to the league, for example). Christian Volesky — who had a 25-day contract with Lexington earlier this year — is two years removed from his last goal in the Championship. Justin Dhillon — who stepped away from Colorado Springs for personal reasons earlier this year — is available only in the most technical sense of the word.
Buying a player is not a slam dunk, either, as Hartford would still need to find a dance partner. While Miami might be moving into selling mode as its season fades, having sent Bill Hamid to Tampa for very little in return, they’d almost certainly want more for Francisco Bonfiglio, who has 15 goals in all competitions. Likewise in Birmingham, Mark Briggs does appear to be shuffling the pieces, having already shipped out Danny Trejo. However, a move for, let’s say, Ronaldo Damus would almost certainly come with a high asking price.
Buying one of these players also requires those clubs to, in essence, close the book on the 2025 season by agreeing to move a key contributor. The same would apply to someone like Johnny Rodriguez of Las Vegas or Peter Wilson of Oakland.
Finally, a loan from an MLS club could certainly be in the offing; Hartford has already brought in Panayotou and Presthus by this route. It’s a fool’s errand to speculate too wildly about any specific player, especially as MLS clubs sort through the effects of the transfer window, but it’s certainly plausible that another player could be brought in this way.
Barry remains by far the most likely target and there will be more to say about him if and when that signing materializes, but there will almost certainly be some addition to the Hartford attack in the immediate future.
The Latics probably do still need reinforcements elsewhere on the pitch, with goalkeeper and defender high on the list, although Burke has dropped fewer clues about who his targets might be in either case. The additions of Njie and Presthus strengthen the flanks of the Hartford defense — which will be particularly necessary — as Emmanuel Samadia will be almost certainly be absent in both September and October for World Cup qualifiers with Sierra Leone but there’s more work to be done.
Burke’s side is fortunate to have four center backs who are all capable of starting in the Championship, but the Hartford manager has rarely had all four available at the same time. A veteran who can easily step up and take minutes is much more likely here than an inexperienced loan acquisition.
Similar to the situation with acquiring a forward, finding a USL veteran would require finding a team willing to sell. Clubs like Tampa Bay, Birmingham, and Las Vegas, which have all had managerial changes this season and might be looking to reshape their rosters would be one place to look. Like with Barry, Burke might also look to reconnect with a former player, but there are fewer obvious options among defenders.
Between the sticks, the problem is even more simple: Siaha has played every single minute of every single game so far this season, and at no point has the club seemed ready to hand a debut to Justin DiCarlo. If Siaha stays healthy — and doesn’t pick up a red card — there’s no problem. If he has to miss a minute for any reason, though, things could get quite sticky in a hurry. In this case, snapping up a veteran backup from a team that’s throwing in the towel on the 2025 season would make a lot of sense, but a loan from an MLS team could also fit the bill, particularly as those clubs decide who is in their plans for next season and beyond.
All in all, three incoming players seem likely for Hartford as Burke looks to complete his squad for a busy run-in and a hopeful USL playoff birth. The willingness of the team to seize this opportunity with some investments is also a welcome sign.
Hartford Athletic returns to action on Saturday, as they travel to take on North Carolina FC in the USL Championship.