DC United continues to deck the halls with player acquisitions, and the name of the week is Sean. Yesterday, DC United completed a trade with archrivals New York Red Bulls for defender Sean Nealis in exchange for $350,000 in total General Allocation Money. Today, they announced the signing of goalkeeper Sean Johnson as a free agent to continue to shore up the defense.

Sean Nealis’ acquisition is part of an overhaul on the defensive end for the Black-and-Red. Red Bull New York will receive $200K in 2026 GAM and $150K in 2027 GAM in exchange for the defender who will turn 29 on January 13th. He was a 2nd round pick by Red Bull in the 2019 Superdraft, and he has spent his entire MLS career in New Jersey. At 6’4″, he is a very tall centerback that looks to be physically imposing and signals the club’s desire to have more size on the back line.

“We are thrilled to be adding a defender to our team with Sean’s attributes and leadership qualities,” general manager Dr. Erkut Sogut said in a press release. “He brings impressive physicality and tactical awareness and has valuable MLS playoff experience. We are excited to welcome him to the group as we continue strengthening our roster ahead of the upcoming season.” 

Nealis appeared in 187 matches across all competitions for Red Bull, and is excellent in the air. From 2021-2023, he was second in MLS in aerials won was second on the team in aerial duels and clearances in 2024. He has amassed 15,479 minutes played, scoring 5 goals and adding 7 assists in a Red Bull uniform.

Erkut Sogut has also expressed a desire to improve the goalkeeping for the club, and they feel they have that improvement in USMNT goalkeeper Sean Johnson. The 36-year-old signed as a free agent to an 18-month deal that will take them through June 2027, which will include the Spring 2027 season that serves as a transition to Major League Soccer’s fall-to-spring schedule. Johnson spent the last three seasons with Toronto FC, recording 7 clean sheets during the 2025 season and ranking 5th in the league with 111 saves.

“Sean is an experienced and proven goalkeeper who has consistently performed at a high level throughout his career,” Sogut said in a press release. “He brings valuable international experience having represented the U.S. Men’s National Team, and his leadership and competitive mentality will elevate our entire team. Sean is a proven winner having won the 2021 MLS Cup with New York, and we look forward to welcoming him to the Black-and-Red family.” 

Johnson is a MLS legend at this point in his career, spending six seasons with the Chicago Fire and six seasons with New York City FC before his time with Toronto FC. In 2024, he became the fourth MLS goalkeeper to record 100 clean sheets, and is one of the winningest goalkeepers in league history.

He also has 13 caps at the international level with the USMNT. He was on the USMNT roster for three Gold Cup titles in 2013, 2017, and 2021. He was a member of the USMNT roster for the 2022 World Cup, and is still considered to be a possible inclusion by head coach Mauricio Pochettino for the 2026 World Cup roster. Sean Johnson hopes his play with DC United can be good enough to get him onto the roster when it’s announced in May.

The most recent moves are the latest in a flurry of moves made by DC United to overhaul their roster as they seek to climb out of the cellar and compete for the playoffs in 2026. As Christmas approaches, DC United may rest for a few days, but it feels like the moves will continue to come quickly as the calendar starts to flip to 2026.