- Real Salt Lake prepares for the 2026 season opener against Vancouver Whitecaps.
- New signings include Morgan Guilavogui and Juan Manuel Sanabria to strengthen the team.
- Coach Mastroeni emphasizes bravery as RSL faces potential lineup challenges due to injuries.
HERRIMAN — Real Salt Lake's final full training session of the 2026 preseason wrapped up with essentially a walk-through in about 30 minutes Thursday at the team's training facility, which may speak to the club's commitment to Saturday's season opener.
After a longer-than-expected offseason, a series of major acquisitions (including new designated player Morgan Guilavogue), and a preseason campaign spent tweaking its 4-3-2-1 base formation into something that resembles more of a 3-4-2 going forward, Pablo Mastroeni's side is ready to unveil the new lineup against reigning MLS Cup runners-up Vancouver Whitecaps FC (5:30 p.m. MST, Apple TV).
Well, mostly.
"There are going to be some new faces out there," Mastroeni said before traveling to British Columbia on Friday. "What I'm encouraging is for the guys to be brave, and really express themselves."
The club added 27-year-old Guinean international Guilavogui from his native France, Uruguayan left winger Juan Manuel Sanabria from Atletico San Luis and defender Juan Jose Arias on loan from Colombia power Atletico Nacional, and Danish defender Lukas Engel on a permanent transfer after the former Middlesbrough man spent last season on loan at FC Cincinnati.
Salt Lake also elevated homegrown midfielders Griffin Dillon and Antonio Riquelme to first-team contracts after the duo broke out with the second-team Real Monarchs a year ago, and configured a one-year loan deal (with a purchase option) for Utah native and former RSL Academy standout Zach Booth from Eredivisie side Excelsior.
One day closer to our first match pic.twitter.com/VankPH7k5L
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) February 20, 2026
All of the changes, whether tactically, schematically or in personnel, are meant to jumpstart an offense to be more dangerous in transition, more creative on rising U.S. star Diego Luna's left side, and armed with more runners like Utah native Zavier Gozo and Nigerian striker Victor Olatunji.
"A lot of it is just putting players in the best positions to be successful," Mastroeni said.
A healthy Luna will be at the center of Salt Lake's ambitions, at least as long as the 22-year-old who was named MLS Young Player of the Year in 2024 is still with the club. With interest from Europe and abroad, RSL is likely to keep the young standout in Utah at least through the 2026 World Cup, which runs June 11 through July 19 in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Beyond that is anybody's guess — including, to some extent, those in the RSL front office. Luna's ambitions are real, as is the five-year contract extension he signed with Salt Lake in 2024 that includes club options in 2027 and 2028.
In the meantime, he'll be key to the team for which he scored nine goals with seven assists in 27 appearances last year. He'll also be key as RSL navigates a tricky start to the season that could trickle into the home opener next Saturday, Feb. 28.
Newly signed MLS SuperDraft pick Sergi Solans only arrived in Salt Lake City this week due to visa complications for the Spanish forward who played collegiately at UCLA, and Dutch two-way midfielder Stijn Spierings is also facing similar visa delays.
Add to it a handful of last-minute injuries that Mastroeni doesn't have immediate answers to give, and the veteran MLS manager candidly admits his full side might not be available for as many as 5-6 games.
That could leave several younger players to fill the gaps in the interim, including homegrown midfielder Luca Moisa. The 17-year-old from Las Vegas was an MLS NEXT All-Star with the RSL Academy, and made 19 appearances for Real Monarchs a year ago before preseason trips to Portugal and Southern California with the first team.
Back in December 2022, the then-14-year-old was the youngest Monarchs signing in club history. He'll almost certainly make his first-team debut this season, and as early as Saturday against German legend Thomas Muller and the Whitecaps, who played to a 0-0 draw Wednesday with Cartagines in CONCACAF Champions Cup play.
"It's a surreal feeling," Moisa said of potentially facing Muller in his debut. "I've watched games of him my whole life, seen him in the Champions League final or the World Cup final. Playing next to him, I couldn't tell myself at 14 that three years later I'd be playing against him; it's crazy. I'm just happy for the moment, and we'll see what happens."
The available group has already jelled, though, with smiles and laughs in one of the final sessions at home before opening the 31st season of MLS on the road.
"This team is very easy to assimilate into, with a bunch of guys who are welcoming, a staff that is welcoming, and a club that is really welcoming," said DeAndre Yedlin, the former U.S. right back who transferred to Salt Lake last year and signed a new two-year contract with a club option for 2028. "It hasn't been a problem at all. Now it's just about getting the new guys in and involved; hopefully we can get everybody back here soon.
"It's been one of the best groups that I've been a part of," he added. "I'm looking forward to this season."
