Red Bulls Loan Wiktor Bogacz, Strange Saga Continues
On Tuesday, Red Bull New York officially loaned forward Wiktor Bogacz to Polish side KS Cracovia for one year.
The European team will have an option to purchase, the club said.
It’s another roster departure for Harrison after missing the MLS Cup playoffs for the first time since 2009 last season.
It’s also another chapter in the Bogacz saga.
Who knows if this will be the closing act or yet another part?
It’s Not You, It’s Me
Take yourself back to mid 2024, before the run to the MLS Cup final. A slow summer transfer window was the usual. But reports surfaced in July and August that New York had a target. A young striker on the Polish side, Miedz Legnica, only 20 years old, named Wiktor Bogacz.
It was not a name that got fans excited. But with a team with an inconsistent offense, it was something.
Reportedly, both teams agreed on what would have been a 1 Liga transfer record of around $2 million plus bonuses, and completed his medical in Leipzig, Germany. However, just 34 hours before the deadline, Bogacz rejected a deal to come to the United States.
He released a statement on his European club’s website, in which he said it was too soon for the move.
“I feel very good in Legnica, and I’m grateful to the club for the opportunity I’ve been given. I remember when, after almost two years of battling injury, the club offered me a contract extension, showing me tremendous support during a difficult time.”
Bogacz continued, “I know that the people at this club care most about Miedź’s success, and I also know that I can and want to help them achieve that. The time for big contracts will come later.”
It was a blow, both roster-wise and ego-wise, to the Red Bulls. A promising young player decided his best move was to stay put. It was swept under the rug, as a few days later, midfielder Felipe Carballo joined the team, a much-needed replacement for Frankie Amaya.
It also helped that RBNY had the run in the playoffs under first-year head coach Sandro Schwarz. But overall, it was a weird moment. And then a few months later, Bogacz decided he was actually ready for a jump to Harrison.
Inconsistent
Bogacz joined New York in early January 2025. An undisclosed fee, a four-year MLS contract through 2028, and an option for 2029. A new U-22 Initiative player for the team, fresh off a run to the final.
It was a sharp turnaround for the young player, and expectations were high. The young player was a top prospect in Poland and had a future with the national team. Some thought it was more money, some thought the addition of Jürgen Klopp as Red Bull’s head of global soccer was the reason.
However, things never took off. Bogacz only appeared in 19 games for the New York Red Bulls in 2025. In that span, he only scored one goal in a 4-2 home win versus Charlotte FC. He also appeared in three US Open Cup matches and two Leagues Cup games. Additionally, he appeared twice for Red Bull II, scoring 2 goals but not playing a major role in the team’s eventual MLS NEXT Pro championship.
In the end, Bogacz could not find a consistent role with New York. Despite playing on a team where offense outside of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was rare.
Back Overseas
As rumors of the loan began to pop up in the last week, so did the reasons it began to make sense.
Going back to Poland gives Bogacz more regular playing time. Something he needs for his continued development. It could also be a good reset mentally for someone who was initially hesitant to even make the jump abroad.
On the field, RBNY is making a new attacking trio. New signings Cade Cowell and Jorge Ruvalcaba will join Choupo-Moting, plus offensive options like Emil Forsberg in the midfield, who will hopefully connect for more goals. It’s doubtful a young player like Bogacz could really find consistent time in a setup like this.
Could Bogacz return to Harrison after a season in Poland and re-find himself? Sure, it’s totally possible.
But this move continues to show that Red Bull is not afraid to shake up the roster. New head of sport Julian de Guzman has made eight major moves in the offseason in relation to roster cuts.
There could be an argument that new head coach Michael Bradley has not brought in enough players to fill the void.
But there is a definite vibe of shake-up continuing.
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