Hello Red Bulls Nation! The 2025 MLS season is a little under a month away and currently, MLS training camp has begun. The New York Red Bulls roster will look very different than the way it looked in 2024. This is due to five players having left the team since the beginning of the offseason: Elias Manoel, Corey Burke, Andres Reyes, John Tolkin and Dante Vanzeir.
The New York Red Bulls and Red Bulls II made several key roster moves this week. Let’s take you inside them with Updates on Red Bulls nation.
Red Bulls Transfer Dante Vanzeir
A week after the Red Bulls transferred one of their most key defenders, John Tolkin, it was announced that the Red Bulls had transferred one of their key offensive players, forward Dante Vanzeir to K.A.A. Gent in the Belgian first division. According to mlssoccer.com, the transfer fee was $3 million and New York will retain a sell-on percentage.
Vanzeir made the most of his two years in Harrison, New Jersey, making 63 appearances and scoring 11 goals and 12 assists. In 2024, the Belgian made an appearance in 32 out of a possible 34 matches and amassed 14 goal contributions. This included 10 assists, which was the first time since 2018 that a Red Bull player had put up double digit assists in a single season. The highlights of Vanzeir’s time in New York included becoming the first player in Red Bull history to tally four assists in a single match on March 23, scoring a goal and assist against NYCFC in the MLS Eastern Conference semis this past run to the MLS Cup final.
๐ง๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฐ ๐ด No. 8
A Lewis Morgan hat-trick.
Four assists from Dante Vanzeir.
Miami came, we conquered.#RedRunsDeep pic.twitter.com/IpuvEJITjl— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) December 24, 2024
The lowlight of Vanzeir’s time with the New York Red Bulls is of course April 2023 when he was suspended six games for using a racist remark in reference to an opponent in a match against the San Jose Earthquakes. Despite this, Vanzeir was a consistent performer on the field for the Red Bulls and the team wished him all the best in his future endeavors.
“We want to wish Dante all the best in the next step of his career,” said head of sport Jochen Schneider. “Dante played a big role in our club earning our first-ever Eastern Conference Championship last season and we appreciate all of his hard work over the last two seasons.”
Earlier in the offseason, the Red Bulls signed Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, a 39-year-old striker on a two-year contract and Wiktor Bogacz, a 20-year-old striker from the Polish second division on a four-year contract. They seem to be the replacements for Vanzeir as of now, but replacing 14 goal contributions will not be easy.
Farewell Ryan Meara
Longtime club goalkeeper Ryan Meara announced his retirement from professional soccer om Wednesday Jan. 22 after 12 seasons with the club. The native of Yonkers, New York’s tenure in New York is the longest a single player has had in franchise history.
โI am extremely proud to have spent almost all of my career with the New York Red Bulls, when you spend so many years with one club it becomes so much more than just a team you play for,โ Meara said. โThis club and the fans have become a second home to myself and an extension of my family. There is no doubt I will miss playing but Iโm very excited for the next chapter and to be a fan of this great club.โ
From New York, for New York.
There will never be another Ryan Meara ๐งค pic.twitter.com/hw0p8WD4pf
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) January 22, 2025
Meara was taken 31st overall in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft. He went on to make 44 MLS appearances. Some highlights of Meara’s career include leading the Red Bulls II to their first ever USL Championship title in 2016. Meara starred in two penalty shootouts which helped the Baby Bulls reach the final where they defeated Swope Park Rangers 5-1 at Red Bull Arena. In 2017, Meara played in all five matches of Red Bull’s run to the finals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. He earned two shutouts against rivals New England Revolution and NYCFC during that run.
Meara leaves Red Bull with an enduring legacy of teamwork and putting individual accomplishments behind the team’s. He spent 12 seasons with Red Bull primarily as a back up but ranks fourth on the franchise’s all-time list with 20 shutouts across all competitions. Meara was also a part of three Supporter’s Shield winning seasons with Red Bull (2012, 2015 and 2018).
News from the Farm
While the first team suffered three key losses to its roster, the Baby Bulls made four roster additions. Here they are.
Juan Gutierrez
On Jan. 23, the Red Bulls II acquired defender Juan Gutierrez on loan from Academia Alemana Popayan through the 2025 season. Gutierrez was a noticeable player for Red Bulls II in 2024, commanding a strong presence at the center back position. He has tallied three goals and one assist in 45 appearances over the past two seasons.
“We are excited to have Juan back with the squad,โ said Red Bulls II Head Coach Ibrahim Sekagya โhe is an aggressive and hardworking defender. He is the ultimate competitor. And he will provide help to our backline.โ
Keep an eye on the 19-year-old Colombian because he is a player who could make his way onto the first team next season if he continues to progress at the MLS NEXT Pro level.
Steven Sserwadda
You may have heard of Sserwadda’s exploits with the Baby Bulls. He’s an all-rounder as Alan Smith used to say on FIFA the video game commentary. He can dribble, pass, shoot, score and tackle and he showed it all in his return from a torn MCL during the 2024 season.
This is why the Red Bulls II are signing the 22-year-old midfielder to a new MLS NEXT Pro contract through the 2026 season.
โWe are happy to have Steven back with the squadโ said Head Coach Ibrahim Sekagya โhe is a hardworking midfielder, who will be valuable in our system and will bring great experience to the team.โ
Sserwadda has played three seasons with Red Bulls II making 41 appearances and tallying four goals and two assists. Sserwadda also has made two appearances for the Red Bulls’ first team, logging a total of 27 minutes. He is another player who could make his way into some first team action this season.
Malick Dembele
On Friday, Jan. 24, it was announced that the Red Bulls II have added midfielder Malick Dembele on loan from Malian club, Yeelen Olympique through the 2025 season. Dembele showed he could be an offensive threat this past season with the Baby Bulls, where, in 25 matches, he had two goals and four assists.
โMalick [Dembele] is an athletic midfielder that has a tremendous work ethicโ said Head Coach Ibrahim Sekagya โwe are excited to have him back and continue his development within the team.โ
2024 was a year of firsts for Dembele. He made his debut in MLS NEXT Pro against Inter Miami CF II on March 24 and scored his first goal in MLS NEXT Pro on June 26 against the Philadelphia Union. The 20-year-old has shown some good skill and a good work rate at the MLS NEXT Pro level and it will be interesting to see if he can make it onto the first team this season.
Tobias Szewczyk
The 16-year-old Red Bulls Academy goalkeeper was recently signed to a one-year MLS NEXT Pro contract through the 2025 season. Part of the agreement is that Szewczyk will join the Red Bulls first team as a homegrown player starting in 2026 and running through 2029.
Szewczyk joined the Red Bulls Academy in 2020 and was on the 2023 U-15 MLS NEXT Cup championship squad. He has featured for the U.S. national team at the U-15 and U-16 levels, making four appearances with the U-15s and one with the U-16s. However, currently Szewczyk represents Poland at the U-16 level as he was called up on Dec. 19 2024.
Familiar Faces and Players Hard to Replace
The Red Bulls II have decided to bring back three players who played considerable minutes with them during last season. Meanwhile, the first team said goodbye to four players who have meant a lot to them this offseason. How will the first team replace these players? This is the question surrounding the New York Red Bulls at this point late in the offseason. With training camp already underway, what last minute moves does Head of Sport Jochen Schneider have up his sleeve?
