From Leeds to Leesburg: Mateusz Klich arrives to bolster D.C. United attack

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Mateusz Klich was on vacation with his family during the Premier League’s World Cup break when his agent informed him of D.C. United’s interest in his services.

The Polish midfielder was intrigued. He was no longer playing regularly for Leeds United and, for some time, had longed to move to the United States at some point during his career.

There was also the Wayne Rooney factor.

“When you can work with such a legend, as he is in English football, it was easier to make a choice,” Klich said Friday at his introductory news conference at D.C. United’s training center in Leesburg.

The pieces began to fall into place this winter, culminating with Klich signing a two-year contract this week that includes a club-held option. It makes him one of D.C.’s three high-end designated players and a key figure entering Rooney’s first full season as an MLS coach.

Klich, 32, is quickly settling into his new home after arriving in Washington last weekend for a physical and final paperwork. He attended the Washington Wizards-Chicago Bulls game Wednesday at Capital One Arena and, as an NBA fan since he was young, “it was my dream to watch big boys playing basketball,” he said with a smile and laugh. He connected with former Wizards center Marcin Gortat, a Polish native.

In weighing D.C.’s offer, Klich said he spoke to friends from the Polish national team with MLS ties, Charlotte FC forward Karol Swiderski and former Chicago Fire midfielder Przemyslaw Frankowski. He also consulted with Leeds’s U.S. triumvirate: Coach Jesse Marsch, midfielder Tyler Adams and attacker Brenden Aaronson.

“They were very positive about the league and about living in the U.S.” Klich said. And as with Rooney’s presence, “It made my decision easier.”

Klich’s ties to Leeds will not die anytime soon. About an hour after speaking to a handful of reporters Friday, he was hoping to watch his former club play Aston Villa.

“Leeds is always going to be close to my heart,” he said, “because I spent a long time and a successful time there.”

Klich was given a hero’s farewell last week at the club’s home ground, Elland Road, where he helped the club gain promotion to the Premier League in 2019-20 and keep it there in subsequent years. This season, though, dwindling playing time prompted him to seek a fresh start. Leeds released him from his contract, clearing the way for the MLS deal.

Beyond Klich’s capacity to initiate a D.C. attack that was worst in MLS last season, Rooney was drawn to his experience and leadership qualities.

“I spoke to many people about him, who know him, who know how he worked at Leeds, [about] his character,” Rooney said. “That is the one thing that shown through from everyone I spoke to and speaking to the player himself. He is a confident lad … and he can be a leader.”

Once he receives his work permit in the next few weeks, Klich will join full-time workouts leading to the Feb. 25 opener against Toronto FC at Audi Field. United opened camp this week.

“He brings quality with the ball,” captain Steven Birnbaum said, “and someone who can dictate the game for us” playing behind forwards Taxi Fountas and Christian Benteke.

Klich joins a D.C. squad that shed 12 players after finishing with the fewest points in MLS last year (27 in 34 matches). He is the most prominent attacker to sign following United’s early rush to upgrade its defense.

Rooney will oversee a full preseason with most, if not all, of his top players already in place. Last year, Fountas arrived six weeks into the season, and Rooney, Benteke and midfielders Victor Palsson and Ravel Morrison arrived late in the campaign. United never built any chemistry and finished with a 7-21-6 record, one of the worst in its 27-year history.

At this camp, “There’s great atmosphere, new faces, new life,” Palsson said. “Everyone knows that last season was an absolute disgrace. We have to put that put that behind us. It’s a new season.”

Though the nucleus of the team seems largely set, holes remain in the organization.

A plan to hire a replacement by Jan. 1 for general manager Lucy Rushton, who was fired last fall after two seasons, has failed to materialize. The club also hasn’t hired, as intended, an assistant coach with deep MLS or U.S. experience after longtime lieutenant (and two-time interim coach) Chad Ashton was reassigned.

Without Rushton’s involvement, roster decisions have been overseen by Dave Kasper, the president of soccer operations and sporting director, who, as the previous general manager, spearheaded personnel moves for 20 years.

Although Rooney was overseas throughout the offseason — he was home in England with his family and worked as a World Cup TV analyst in India — he said he was in constant communication with Kasper and others on the technical staff. They came to visit him in England to strategize, as well.

Reflecting on last season, “We were young, naive, the players weren’t fit enough. There was a lack of mentality and character at times,” Rooney said. “What we’ve done is we’ve really tried to fill those spots … and now it’s my job to get all the information to them tactically in what we want him and really create a mind-set as a group and as individuals as well. We’re really going to compete this year.”

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