Lukas Engel may be the exact defender Real Salt Lake needs amid 2026 tactical adjustments
The 27-year-old Danish defender played defensive midfielder, center back and left back — "everywhere but goalkeeper and right back," he jokes — before RSL permanently acquired him from Middlesbrough.
HERRIMAN, Utah — If Real Salt Lake’s enhanced vision of player that often utilizes three center backs in play had a perfect pairing, it might be Lukas Engel.
The 27-year-old newly acquired defender/midfielder played left back, center back and defensive midfield during his 33 matches last year at FC Cincinnati before he was recalled by English second-division side Middlesbrough at the end of the season.
But his stay away from MLS didn’t last long before the veteran of 2,721 minutes with four assists took a call from Real Salt Lake.
The pairing was immaculate, and the rest was history.
“During my whole career, I think I’ve played everything but goalkeeper and right back,” Engel told reporters by video conference shortly after featuring at center back for the second straight preseason match, a 2-1 win over Bröndby IF. “In that manner, I’m quite versatile and I think it gives us a little bit of options in terms of how we can defend, in a four-back, a three-back or a five; I feel quite comfortable up and down that left side.”
If he wants to try one of the few positions he hasn’t played — Rafael Cabral seems to have goalkeeper pretty well locked down a year after playing every available minute for Salt Lake — he could do worse than look to his at-once former-and-current teammate on the right flank, DeAndre Yedlin.
The two were teammates in Cincinnati before Yedlin was traded to RSL midway through the 2025 season, and the former U.S. international eventually signed a multi-year extension that could keep him in Claret-and-Cobalt through his 35th birthday.
Yedlin would talk to him plenty, too. The duo connected well in the Queen City, and the 32-year-old right back beamed when he was told after preseason had started that the club was bringing in his old teammate to the Utah capitol.
Before the trade was official, Yedlin even talked up his experience with Real Salt Lake. At the time, he had no idea the club was considering permanently acquiring the versatile Danish defender through December 2028, with a club option for the 2028-29 season.
“We had a little group at Cincinnati, and he was in that group,” Yedlin said, “eight guys who were super collected together.
“He’s a great guy, great for the culture, experienced player, very versatile and can play multiple positions. He’s a leader, not afraid to speak.”
To call RSL’s tactical adjustments a formational change going into Pablo Mastroeni’s sixth season could be a misnomer. At times, the club will defend three center backs and two outside attacking wingbacks tasked to get forward more.
But Salt Lake may also defend with a block four formation, or even fold the wingbacks to defend with five, depending on the situation.
The hope is the tactical versatility opens up the attack around rising stars Diego Luna and Zavier Gozo, or opens up transition play around Pablo Ruiz, Zach Booth and the rest of the midfield.
The flexibility of the shape benefitted Alex Katranis on Monday, when the former Greek youth international slid into the left wing back role, sprinted through to a deep ball from Sam Junqua, and slotted home the game-winning goal against Bröndby.
“If we can get a wing back on the left and on the right that are dangerous going forward, now you start to really start to ask some questions of defenses,” RSL manager Pablo Mastroeni said.
That doesn’t mean Katranis will stop defending; Salt Lake’s press requires every player to defend, even “from the front,” as coaches like to explain it.
But the 27-year-old Katranis is a fan of getting up the pitch, as RSL fans have seen for the past two years.
“I like the system,” he said. “I like to be a fullback that not only defends but can attack and help the team with assists, goals, or whatever is needed in a game. It’s good that we have three in the back … but it doesn’t mean that you aren’t defending anymore.
“But I like the system.”
Whatever way the shape folds works for Engel, who started on the left side of a centerback trio in both preseason matches.
“It suits me very well,” he said, “and I think as far as these 8-9 days I’ve been here, I think it’s a really good fit — and I do believe it’s an exciting year we’re going into. For me personally, too.
“I think I’ve got every chance to perform well, too.”