It's been a promising start to 2021 for Real Salt Lake. Just as promising for the club, reinforcements are on the way.
US international forward Bobby Wood has officially landed in Utah after signing with the club and appears to be on track to be available for selection in the club's next match, on June 18 against the Vancouver Whitecaps (10 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+).
"Bobby will have to serve a quarantine period, which he will do over the next few days, then we'll have him in training as early as next week," GM Elliot Fall told ESPN Radio's Spence Checketts. "Bobby will be the first (new signing) with the group."
Wood, 28, has 13 goals in 45 caps with the USMNT. He signed a pre-contract with RSL in April upon the expiration of his contract with German 2. Bundesliga side Hamburg. Wood began his professional career with 1860 Munich and has also spent time at Union Berlin and Hannover 96. He appeared in 111 Bundesliga matches while scoring 24 goals and handing out 10 assists. At the 2. Bundesliga level, Wood has 10 goals and three assists in 72 matches.
This season, Rubio Rubin has led the lines admirably for the club, with four goals and two assists in six starts.
Wood will give Freddy Juarez another option in attack, but he's not the only new face on the way. In recent days the club announced the signing of winger Jony Menendez and center back Toni Datkovic.
Menendez, a 27-year-old who has spent most of his career in Argentina's top division, had 20 goals and 10 assists in 70 league matches in his native country. Datkovic, a 27-year-old center back, joins after extensive experience in Spain, Croatia and Slovenia.
Fall provided an update on when to expect the pair with the team as well.
"With Jony and Toni, we're in the process of doing the immigration application and getting their immigration sorted out," Fall said. "Once we can get them visas and approvals, we'll get them on the ground straight away. They'll likely have to serve a quarantine period as well then they'll be with the group. You never know with immigration, but we hope to have them both on the ground in Salt Lake in the next few weeks."
