Minnesota United: Is versatility worth controversy in Alexi Gomez pursuit?

Minnesota United are reportedly chasing troubled but versatile Peruvian international Alexi Gomez. But is his positional flexibility worth his off-pitch controversy?

After the news broke from Paul Tenorio that Minnesota United were chasing Club América attacker Darwin Quintero, Minnesota’s Jeff Rueter announced that the club were interested in signing another South American, Peruvian international Alexi Gómez.

Gómez recently had his loan at Liga MX club Atlas terminated after he was caught playing in a street soccer match two days before an Atlas match, and has returned to Peruvian giants Universitario, where, it is assumed, he will be looking to leave for the second time.

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Could Minnesota be a possible landing spot?

Gomez had not been getting playing time for Atlas at the time of the incident, but Atlas had apparently still seen enough of him to dismiss his services. This has led some Minnesota fans and media to believe that maybe this wasn’t his first incident, though no previous issues have been discovered with the player. If Gómez was a problem player with repeated incidents at Atlas, hopefully he can put them behind him should he end up at Minnesota United, and contribute to a squad in desperate need of reinforcements.

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A very versatile player, Gómez has made five appearances for Los Incas since debuting for his country in 2013. He can reportedly play in a bevy of different positions, including left back, left wing, right wing, central midfield, and defensive midfield. It is unclear where he would play if he ended up in Minnesota, but left back or defensive midfield seem to be the most likely, as it makes little sense for Minnesota to bring in another international just to have them add to the already existing logjam on the wings.

If Gómez proves to be a starting-quality MLS full back who could play opposite Jérôme Thiesson, though, he could be a big addition to the squad. Marc Burch and Tyrone Mears are ageing and on the decline, and rookie SuperDraft pick Carter Manley is too inexperienced to be counted on for big minutes.

But even if Gomez is not able to tie down a starting full-back role, his versatility would be huge for Minnesota United as the club has really struggled with their depth, or lack thereof, in MLS so far. He could provide cover multiple different positions in the event of injuries throughout the season, providing squad flexibility, something that is invaluable during a long and arduous season.

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The deal is far from a certainty, but it would be interesting to see how he fits should Minnesota United make a move for him. His versatility would be an undoubted plus and may well justify the off-field issues. Only time, as ever, will tell.