Report: Jhon Kennedy Hurtado won't be signed by New York Red Bulls

Confirmation of what had appeared likely after news broke of Karl Ouimette's signing has arrived from Big Apple Soccer: Kristian Dyer's sources have told him veteran MLS center back Jhon Kennedy Hurtado has definitively not succeeded in winning a contract offer from the New York Red Bulls.

There only seemed to be room for one more (if any) central defender on the roster, and the addition of Ouimette seemed to have settled the question of who might take it. Dyer's report confirms the suspicion.

The next question to be addressed is how Jesse Marsch intends to back up Roy Miller at left back. Ouimette is capable of playing the position, but would appear just as likely to be unavailable as the Costa Rican international, since he is himself emerging as a Canadian national team regular.

Marsch looked at two other options in the most recent training camp: injury prone but MLS-experienced Anthony Wallace, and young Jamaican Kemar Lawrence.

Lawrence raises the same questions as Ouimette about availability when Miller could be away, since he is part of Jamaica's player pool and could be expected to see his stock rise with the national team if he finds success in MLS. Wallace has a reputation for fragility.

Neither has to be signed, but with recent signing Shawn McLaws, Marsch has assembled three-man depth at right back (Chris Duvall and Connor Lade being the other two). Confirmation that Hurtado is not going to be signed suggests the center back position has been filled for now. Only left back looks a little thin - so count this observer among the surprised if Wallace or Lawrence doesn't join the squad shortly.