Positions Charlotte FC could upgrade with Liel Abada's Designated Player spot

By Brian Maurer

Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90

Tom Bogert recently reported that Greek club PAOK has opened talks to sign Liel Abada. According to Bogert, other European clubs are also interested in the Charlotte FC winger.

If a move can be agreed to this summer, Charlotte would have an additional Designated Player (DP) spot available to bring in reinforcements as they push for a higher position in the Eastern Conference.

Charlotte signed Allan Saint-Maximin, which looks to be a straight swap for outgoing winger Wilfried Zaha, but that doesn't necessarily need to be the case for Abada's DP spot, as the Crown already has a couple of serviceable options on the right wing (Kerwin Vargas, Rodolfo Aloko, and Pep Biel if need be).

Here is a look at three different potential positions of need where Charlotte FC could use a DP spot if the Israeli does leave this summer:

Right wing

Current depth (without Abada):

• Kerwin Vargas (age: 24, contract expires 2028*)

• Rodolfo Aloko (age: 19, contract exp. 2031)

Charlotte currently has two serviceable options at right wing. Vargas has beaten out Abada for minutes multiple times throughout Dean Smith's tenure as Head Coach, and this seems as good a time as any to hand the Colombian the reins on the right side and open the competition up between him and highly touted prospect Aloko.

If Smith prefers more experience down the stretch on the right-hand side, then a new DP signing would do the trick, or moving Biel over could also work, as the Gaffer has opted to utilize the Spaniard on the right in the past.

Brian's thoughts: My personal preference would be to see Vargas get the chance at the full-time role for the remainder of the season. We have seen year-over-year growth in goal production from the Colombian, and his ability to put in a shift as a two-way winger is ideal for how Smith likes his team to play. Vargas establishes a solid floor that younger prospects, like Aloko, will have to reach and demonstrate their ceiling on top of it to earn minutes, providing a solid foundation on the right wing.

Vargas starting, with his contract status, allows Charlotte to use DP spots in other areas of their roster, as he is on a cap-friendly contract and is just starting to push towards his prime years.

Attacking midfielder/Second striker

Current depth:

• Pep Biel (age: 29, contract exp. 2028)

Attacking midfielder/second striker is an interesting position for Charlotte as Biel is the only player on the roster who currently fills the demands to its ideal capacity. We saw last season, when the Spanish attacker went down, Smith had to make adjustments and compromises to how the eleven played. While Brandt Bronico was able to fill a role in a more advanced position, he doesn't provide the same spark of creativity on the ball.

This puts extra pressure on Biel's health for the Crown to succeed. Signing a new player with positional flexibility who could slot in for Biel if needed provides an extra buffer that Charlotte hasn't had before.

Brian's thoughts: As stated above, I think Vargas getting the reps out wide is the right move. Adding a more central attacker could push Biel out wide and change that scenario. However, having multiple options that can dictate play centrally would be a huge plus on a team that lacks depth at Biel's primary position.

If an attacker is added, then a right winger with the flexibility to play centrally and pull the strings would provide more options for Smith, and give the Crown depth in key positions that they need if they are going to make a serious run.

Center midfielder/defensive midfielder

Current depth:

• Ashley Westwood (age: 36, contract exp. 2027)

• Djibril Diani (age: 28, contract exp. 2026)

• Luca de la Torre (age: 28, contract exp. 2030)

• Brandt Bronico (age: 31, contract exp. 2028)

• Baye Coulibaly (age:20, contract exp. 2029)

• Aron John (age: 20, contract exp. 2029)

On the surface, it looks like Smith has several options in his midfield, but his starting rotation and minutes tell a somewhat different story. Ashley Westwood has played nearly every minute possible, while his pivot partner has rotated between Bronico, Djibril Diani, and Luca de la Torre. Diani looks to have locked down the starting role at the moment, while de la Torre has struggled to find serious minutes in his first year with the club. Bronico's minutes also took a dip before the World Cup break.

This leaves one to believe there could still be room for a new signing who could add midfield versatility short-term and be part of the Westwood succession plan long-term as well.

Brian's thoughts: This position, for me, is the one I would prefer seeing a DP spot spent on, as there seems to be a short- and long-term gap in the squad's depth as things stand. The Crown was likely hoping this wasn't going to be the case with the addition of de la Torre, but it seems like additional resources spent in midfield could be needed.

A midfielder with flexibility to play all three positions (6, 8, or 10) is key if Charlotte were to invest DP money into the position. Signing a player who can put in a shift off-the-ball while also adding attacking upside and creativity would require DP money, but doing so would give Smith multiple options if they struggle with injuries in the attack, or in the long-term when Westwood eventually decides to step down.

Summary

Versatility is the key as there are multiple areas in Charlotte's roster that a new DP could help with. The main need, regardless of position, is to add a player who can help alleviate some of the club's dependency on Biel in the attacking third.

Another key is experience and age. Ideally, the Crown can find a player whose age profile fits the short-term needs of the club to help them get results in 2026, while also fitting into the longer-term vision (e.g., 25-31 years old).

*Contract expiring year noted above includes club options.