Bob signing will be barometer for Loons’ future

Minnesota United has finally done it. They’ve signed a no. 6.

After months of not-so-patient asking from fans and pundits alike, the front office shored up the Loons’ defensive midfield with the arrival of Brazilian Fernando Bob.

Bob himself will be an interesting player to watch, at least in terms of how his time with United turns out.

He’s not exactly the DP-level, automatically great holding midfielder that some have asked for. But he’s not not that either.

Instead, Bob is a question mark, and a potential barometer for moves to come.

Free agency — the process by which an unattached or out-of-contract player can sign with any team of his choosing — is a uncommon in soccer, relative to it being a norm in other American sports.