An Arrival, a Departure and the 2026 Quakes

After having spent a few weeks waiting eagerly for confirmation, the Quakes finally announced the signing of Timo Werner. Their most high-profile addition since Landon Donovan, Werner gives fans hope in what has otherwise been a disaster of an offseason.

With less than a month remaining from the opening kickoff, Arena’s team remains an intriguing side, but one still needing reinforcements.

As rumors circulate about a potential Arango sale, the vibes in San Jose remain a little strange. The arrival of the German international awoke dreams of competing within the fanbase, but the squad is still far from a certain playoff side.

For the first time in recent MLS memory, the Quakes pulled off the signing of the offseason. Even as uncertainty reigns across many areas of the organization, everyone remains hopeful about this move. Despite his struggles over recent seasons, Werner remains a player of pedigree who fills a hole the Quakes have had since Wondo retired.

Another part of the weird vibes comes from when the signing came. Again, had this move occurred earlier in the offseason, Arena would have had time to navigate around the departures. Especially if Arango departs, the Quakes would enter the season so light in depth that they may not survive.

To truly get the most out of the best signing in Quakes MLS history, the club must do everything to complement the player.

This winter saw too many departures for a club looking to make the playoffs this year, especially with a star of this caliber coming in.

Timo Werner represents many things for this edition of the Quakes, but most importantly, it shows a front office trying to get a big piece finally. After an offseason that saw the Quakes lose their talisman, the German’s addition restored hope to the fanbase.

Really, since the late 2010s, the Quakes spent countless sums trying to help and eventually replace Wondo. From the promising Jeremy Ebobisse to the disastrous Andy Rios, strikers found their way to the Bay in hopes of providing some spark. Some came in as experienced MLS options, while others came in as international players, but none ever broke the bank.

Almost every forward brought in represented a different vision from the club, be it the manager or the front office. None ever felt like a longer-term solution, not that Werner promises to be either, but that reflected the relatively small investment put on them. This left the club, especially after Wondo retired, waiting around for some sort of savior to drop into their lap.

Outside of Landon Donovan, whose arrival in San Jose was rather convoluted, no player matches the excitement brought in by Werner. Even Espinoza, who succeeded beyond all expectations, joined the club as a promising high-level role player.

From an off-the-pitch perspective, the Werner move is a major win for a team that was drifting into MLS obscurity. With every other California team treating the Western Conference as an arms race, the Quakes limped behind. As San Diego added Hirving Lozano and LAFC brought in Son Heung-min, Arena trotted out a striker duo of Arango and Josef Martinez.

The German offers the organization, still in the process of being sold, a chance to bring a spotlight to Bay Area soccer. Despite Espinoza playing at an all-star level every season, he lacked the star power that Werner brings. Even though the striker had struggled to find form in the previous seasons, Werner still brings a certain prestige that the club lacked.

While there remains plenty of work to be done to maximize the Werner era, people can finally start buying into the club’s vision. If ownership and potential bidders want to ensure that MLS thrives in the Bay, getting the most out of this era must be the only priority.

Despite the good vibes emanating from PayPal Park, there remains a feeling of wariness.

Yes, Arena helped bring in a star, but this team is still so far from competing.

Should Arango depart in the next few weeks, the club will have lost its three most important offensive players in one single window. Without Arango, Arena’s options for the front fail to inspire much hope. To play alongside the German, Arena can only really count on Bouda and Kikanović on the wings.

Perhaps the lack of other options forces Arena to double down on the talented wingbacks that the Quakes have. Shifting to a 3-5-2, with Jones and Costa as wingbacks, at least partially addresses the winger deficit.

Over the course of his career, Werner found his greatest success when allowed to play as the lone striker. Playing off of wingers or having a creator right below him allowed for the striker to find the best paths to get behind the backline.

Fortunately for Arena, the midfield offers him the best chance to get the most out of the German. While Vieira likely only anchors the midfield, Harkes can play as a deeper playmaker, finding Werner on deeper runs. Leroux may benefit the most from the attention placed on Werner, as he can exploit the space vacated by the German for his runs.

Of course, the defense remains a concern, but as Arena showed last season, he’s not afraid to be involved in internal developments. To his credit, Munie showed that he could be an impactful MLS starter while Floriani and Roberts both played well. Despite all the changes, Romney remains on the roster, but he can’t be seen as a starter going into this season.

With or without any additional transfers, a potential formation change may be required from Arena. Scarcity at certain positions means that the manager must get creative in these last remaining preseason games.

Almost out of nowhere, the Quakes, a team fading into obscurity, pulled off the signing of the winter. Bringing in Werner means plenty for the club, but most importantly, it offers the fanbase hope that has been sorely lacking.

However, this also means the club must do everything in its power to make this era a success or face the risk of a return to obscurity.