With the 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) season fast approaching, Red Bull New York has been busy on and off the pitch.
It has been well documented the amount of changes that have been made by the club since the end of the 2025 season. While a fan favorite such as Daniel Edelman is now at St. Louis CITY SC, the arrival of Cade Cowell has been an exciting one for many.
Currently in the preseason, Red Bull have earned two straight victories after falling to USL League One side Sarasota Paradise in their preseason opener on January 21. This past Saturday, New York had their best showing so far with a 5-0 win vs Hartford Athletic.
Generally speaking, the start to the new year has been a good one for a club looking to return to the postseason. Things only got better within the past week as New York continued to bolster their current squad.
To the delight of many, their recent signings were excellent to say the least.
Last Thursday, the club announced the signing of United States international Ethan Horvath from English Football League (EFL) League One side Cardiff City F.C.
With former goalkeeper Carlos Coronel off to Brazilian side São Paulo, this left New York with two capable keepers in John McCarthy and A.J. Marcucci. Obviously, not bad options, but Horvath has proven to be a difference maker in other domestic leagues and international play.
With the United States men’s national team (USMNT), Horvath has made ten appearances for his country. Notably, he was the Man of the Match in the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League final against Mexico thanks to stopping a massive penalty kick from Andrés Guardado. Horvath was also a part of the 2022 FIFA World Cup roster for the U.S.
“Ethan has been a proven winner for both club and country, and we are really excited to add him to our roster ahead of the 2026 season,” said Head Coach Michael Bradley in a press release Thursday. “He has shown throughout his career that he can perform in big moments. He is a strong shot-stopper, commands his area well, and fits the way we want to play.”
By all means, this was a good get and replacement for Coronel. Knowing the long and storied history of goalies at New York, Horvath could have a great impact for Red Bull in 2026.
On top of the Horvath addition, Red Bull were also finally able to fill their third Designated Player roster spot. After the failure that was trying to bring over German striker Timo Werner, New York looked elsewhere. What they found was a young Liga MX attacker who will create magic in the attacking third for New York.
On Monday, the club announced they completed the transfer of 24 year-old Pumas UNAM winger, Jorge Ruvalcaba.
“Jorge is a talented, young player that we are very excited to have join our club,” Bradley said in a release Monday. “We believe he will integrate well into our team and his versatility and pace will give us additional options in the attacking third. We are looking forward to working with him as he looks to integrate and contribute to the success of the team.”
During his last five seasons with Pumas, the Mexican international scored 16 goals, as well as had nine assists.
Monday also saw the club move on from defender Noah Eile as he was transferred to Championship side Bristol City FC for a club-record fee for a defender.
Back to Ruvalcaba, his arrival creates an attack that will strike fear into opposing sides. With midfielder Emil Forsberg’s terrific passing, forward Eric Choupo-Moting’s scoring ability and the talents of Cowell and Ruvalcaba, MLS backlines will need to prepare hard to stop them.
The one issue that will face New York heading into the new campaign will be their thin defense. Having great goal scorers and playmakers is good, but in order to win trophies, you need a solid backline. Regardless if a goalkeeper like Horvath or McCarthy starts in net, the players in front of them need to do their jobs.
Can new signees Justin Che or Robert Voloder do just that? We’ll see.
For now, the preseason rolls on for Red Bull as a trip to Texas awaits them this weekend. But so far from the results and the great moves made by the club, New York looks to head into the new campaign ready to go.
