Giovanni Savarese says the team will add an impact player at attacking mid. (Joy Rubenstein/FrontRowSoccer.com Photo)

By Michael Lewis

FrontRowSoccer.com Editor

Two midfielders are out and one is coming in.

With Walter Restrepo and Kalif Alhassan leaving the Cosmos in transactions the past two days, the two-time North American Soccer League champions are poised to add an attacking midfielder that will be an impact player, according to head coach Giovanni Savarese.

In a conference call Thursday, Savarese said he could not reveal the name of the player, although the newcomer must obtain a visa.

“Hopefully, it will go fast for the player to be able to be here,” Savarese said.

“You know how it is sometimes with the process of the visa. So hopefully that will go very fast and then the player will be with us as soon as possible.”

The Cosmos will play a friendly vs. Valencia in Regina, Saskatchewan Saturday before kicking of the fall season against spring season champion Miami FC at MCU Park July 30.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.