Minnesota United retains three NASL Best XI players

While the New York Cosmos were busy adding a pair of Venezuelan internationals to their roster, one of their chief rivals in the North American Soccer League, Minnesota United, announced some big news of their own. Having already made waves with the additions of Stefano Pinho and Lance Laing this winter, the Loons announced that three of their own NASL Best XI performers would be back with the club in 2016.

On Thursday, the club confirmed that a pair of excellent defenders would continue to patrol both flanks, with Justin Davis and Kevin Venegas both inking long-term contracts. While the specifics of the two deals were not disclosed, you'd have to think that both starting fullbacks probably feature heavily in United's thinking as they start to prepare for a move to Major League Soccer.

On Friday, the Loons followed up the Venegas and Davis signings by announcing that a new contract has been agreed with Ibson. While the club did not release the spefiics of that deal, either, the lack of any mention of a multi-year agreement leads me to believe that this one might be of the one-year variety, with the potential of an option that the club can exercise, should they so choose.

While the league as a whole seems to be improving rapidly this winter, it's hard to imagine United not being one of the favorites to lift the title at this point in the offseason. This is shaping up to be an awfully interesting season...