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Caden Clark to Loons? Medina midfielder trains with United as club interest remains

andy greder, pioneer press
·3 min read

Minnesota United had a surprise participant in Tuesday’s training session at the National Sports Center in Blaine.

Attacking midfielder Caden Clark, of Medina, Minn., participated in the hour-long practice with the Loons. Afterward, Clark had a conversation with Loons manager Adrian Heath on the field.

Clark, 20, joined RB Leipzig this year, but has not yet played for the quality side in the German Bundesliga. Clark was linked in July to a loan to FC Twente of the Dutch Eredivisie, but there has been no news on a move since then.

The Loons are maintaining a relationship with Clark, and a homecoming might be possible in the future, the Pioneer Press understands.

The MLS summer transfer window closed in early August, so any sort of deal with Clark doesn’t appear to be imminent. But interest from the club has not gone away, and interest might be becoming mutual from Clark.

Years ago, MNUFC previously tried to sign Clark, who did not come up through the Loons academy system, but weren’t able to get a deal done. Then in 2020, MNUFC acquired $75,000 in General Allocation Money from the New York Red Bulls in exchange for his MLS rights.

As a teenager, Clark scored seven goals and contributed four assists for the Red Bulls in 2,266 minutes across 47 MLS matches in 2020-22 before he went abroad.

Hlongwane scare

Minnesota United avoided a third midfielder needing knee surgery this season.

Bongi Hlongwane had an MRI on Monday night and there was “no real damage, but he’s sore just below the knee,” Heath said Tuesday. “A little bit of tendonitis, we think. We are hopeful he will be available” to play against the Seattle Sounders at Allianz Field on Sunday.

Hlongwane, the Loons’ leading scorer with 15 goals in all competitions, felt something in his left knee and exited in the first half of last Sunday’s 2-0 victory at New York City.

Hlongwane and other starters were given a regeneration day during training on Tuesday. “He feels a bit sore, so we’ve sent him inside and will work inside for the next two or three days,” Heath said. “We will have a better idea come the middle of the week.”

Emanuel Reynoso had an ankle injury flare up during training last week and was subbed out in the second half vs. NYCFC on Sunday.

“He’s not 100 percent; he’s a little bit sore,” Heath said. “The minute he moves inside or outside his ankle, he’s got a little bit of stress. He has a bit of discomfort. Hopefully by the end of the week he will feel a lot better.”

If Hlongwane can’t play against Seattle, Hassani Dotson and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi are candidates to fill in. Dotson moved to that after Hlongwane’s injury and Tajouri-Shradi was a late sub who assisted on Mender Garcia’s 95th-minute goal to put the NYCFC win away.

Briefly

Clint Irwin (illness) returned to training Tuesday and participated with the backups during a small-sided game. … Mikael Marques continues his injury-limited debut season in Minnesota; the Swedish defender, who has a three-year contract, jogged on the side Tuesday. … MNUFC welcomed members of the Twin Cities Sol youth program out to training Tuesday and many Loons players engaged with them after practice. Michael Boxall gave away a handful of his Loons shirts and shorts, but the kids will have to grow into the center back’s much larger size.

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