In 2017, D.C. United made three big moves to start preparing for their first season at Audi Field. They signed Paul Arriola, US men’s national team winger, and Zoltan Stieber to be the key offensive players alongside Luciano Acosta. But they also signed Russell Canouse, a former US U-20 midfielder who had gone to Germany to sign for Hoffenheim but who hadn’t gotten much playing time.
Last year, Canouse turned from an unknown into a central midfielder around which the team could build for years. But he suffered a knee injury in the preseason that lingered, keeping him out for the first half of the season.