Esmir Bajraktarevic to Play "Major Role" in 2024
"So for me, he's going to play a major role this year."
2024 seems like it could be the year where Esmir Bajraktarevic truly establishes himself as one of the top young talents in MLS. The New England Revolution youngster is slated to have a “major role” with the first team according to head coach Caleb Porter.
Talented, extremely creative,” Porter said when asked about Bajraktarevic. “Obviously, you see the clips for the national team. He's a very, very talented player with a ton of potential. He's not only a good attacking player, he also has a great work rate on both sides of the ball as well He's dynamic, he's got good athleticism. So for me, he's going to play a major role this year.”
Bajraktarevic’s year got off to a hot start as he made his USMNT debut after getting called up for January Camp. His skill and flair were on display even though it was a subpar performance for the U.S.
Last season, the 18-year-old didn’t get a ton of playing time in MLS. He only appeared in 13 games, playing less than 500 minutes.
But in that limited time he managed to secure his first goal with the first team. The youngster slotted home a crucial goal in New England’s defeat of Queretaro in the 2023 edition of Leagues Cup.
Heading into the 2024 season, Bajrakatarevic will initially be competing with Nacho Gil for playing time out on the wing. Various factors could play into him falling to the bench or staying in the starting XI.
The two big factors are Dylan Borrero and Giacomo Vrioni. Once Borrero is healthy enough to play 90 minutes, it would make sense for him to replace Bajrakatarevic out wide. Ever since Tomas Chancalay was signed, Revolution fans have been dreaming of seeing Borrero and Chancalay together out wide.
But if Vrioni fails to get off to a good start and struggles to score, Bajraktarevic could extend his spell in the starting XI with Tomas Chancalay playing as a false nine.
So the possibilities are endless for Bajraktarevic heading into 2024. Caleb Porter looks to trust the youngster and the 18-year-old could be line for a big year with the Revolution.