New York Red Bulls: The Odd Transfer Saga of Cristian Casseres Jr.

The Venezuelan central midfielder has long been rumored to sign with the Red Bulls, and it seems like he has, but the club is yet to make it official.

In typical Red Bull fashion, the transfer of Cristian Casseres Jr. has been nothing short of confusing. With the Jerome Philip and Kaku saga unfolding, the Red Bulls organization continues to look out of sorts this offseason. I highly recommend reading this excellent piece on the current transfer debacle between Red Bull and Nigerian teenager Jerome Philip.

But for now, the gripe at hand is why the signing of 18-year-old Venezuelan midfielder Cristian Casseres Jr. has not been made official by the club. Back in November, Solovenex, a Venezuelan news outlet, reported Cristian Casseres Jr. was set to join the team in January transfer window.

Months went by with no news until Casseres Jr. posted a picture of himself in New Jersey on his Instagram story. In the first week of preseason, Casseres Jr. has been seen in several pictures from the Red Bulls social media accounts.

The Venezuelan teen has posted several Instagram stories of pictures from training and his own bio reads “Jugador del New York Red Bull”. GK Luis Robles was a guest on Seeing Red, a Red Bull podcast, and was asked about Casseres who he spoke highly of. Robles said, “Casseres has been a pleasant surprise. From what I’ve seen to see a player that has just turned 18 years old, and yet play with the sort of maturity as a seasoned vet is great for us. He could be one of the most impactful signings we make this year.”

It’s possible that the Red Bulls and Casseres Jr. are still negotiating on the terms of his contract. It’s the club’s right to withhold the announcement of the signing, but the reason for it is unknown. Even though the transfer isn’t explicitly official, it’s safe to say Casseres Jr. is a Red Bull.

Who is Cristian Casseres Jr.?

Christian Casseres Jr. is the son of a former professional soccer player who represented Venezuela 28 times in his career. Casseres Jr. last played in Venezuela for Deportivo La Guaira and has represented Venezuela on the U-17 level.

From a small sample size of footage, Casseres plays with composure as a deep-lying central midfielder. Despite his smaller stature, he is physical and knows how to use his body when shielding the ball. Another excellent attribute of his comes in his ability to dribble in tight spaces with creativity.

Next: Red Bulls Off-Season Moves

For now, Casseres may see time with Red Bull 2 as they rebuild their squad. But, it’s evident the club has the intention of bringing him up to the senior team whenever he is ready. Currently, the Red Bulls central midfield depth is low, with Sean Davis being the only other viable option if Adams or Felipe pick up an injury. So, just like Luis Robles said, “he could be one of the most impactful signings we make this year”.  It’s just a matter of when his signing will get announced!