Porter Gives Early Impression of Arreaga And Ivacic

Porter: "What I've felt is that their energy, their confidence, their experience, and their winning mentality has been infectious with our group.”

Photo Courtesy of the New England Revolution

New England Revolution head coach Caleb Porter has been impressed with recent additions Xavier Arreaga and Aljaz Ivacic. 

Both players were inked on Tuesday. Arreaga, a center back, came via a trade with Seattle, and Ivacic, a goalkeeper, signed as a free agent.

“[Arreaga and Ivacic] are good players,” Porter said. “They have been in big environments. Portland and Seattle are big environments. I know as well as anybody because I coached in Portland for five years and it is a pressure cooker there. It's a big fan base, you're under a microscope every single day. Both of those clubs are competing for trophies every single year, and they were a part of eras where their clubs were competing for trophies.”

Arreaga, 29, joined the Sounders as a Designated Player in 2019. He was with the club when they lifted an MLS Cup in 2019, was runner-up in the 2021 MLS Cup Final, and earned the 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup title.

Ivacic, 30, was with the Timbers from 2019-23. His best year came in 2022 when he was voted as the Supporters’ MVP after leading the league in saves (112).

Before MLS, Ivavic won the Slovenian domestic championship during the 2017-18 campaign and the Slovenian Cup in 2018 while playing for Olimpija Ljubljana.

“In both their cases, they've won trophies,” Porter said. “Those are the type of players that we want – guys that are experienced, guys that have won, guys that have a natural confidence that’s infectious.

“So, what I've felt is that their energy, their confidence, their experience, and their winning mentality has been infectious with our group.”

Arreaga and Ivacic are both available to make their Revolution debuts on Saturday when the Revs host Inter Miami CF.