Neal: A transfer window is about to open, and Minnesota United needs help. Step up, Bill McGuire.

One thing was obvious Wednesday while watching the Loons try — and fail — to unlock the LAFC defense: They sure could use a midfielder or two.

And after watching Minnesota United get off to the best start in franchise history, majority owner Bill McGuire should not be satisfied. He must allow the front office the flexibility to add talent and bolster what could be the best Loons team since they joined MLS in 2017.

For those of you catching your breath after following the Club World Cup and Gold Cup over the past several weeks, you need a second wind. The Loons have won 11 games, lost five and have drawn seven. Even after their 1-0 loss to LAFC on Wednesday, the Loons are third in the conference with 40 points. Their goal differential of plus-13 would be their best ever.

They have a definitive style, but it is not flashy. They concede possession before damaging opponents on the counterattack. And, somehow, they have become set piece kings. That trait is listed among the principles Chief Soccer Officer Khaled El-Ahmad wanted to establish when he took over in January 2024.

“The first one, it says win,” he said. “And there’s key words in it that we use, and one of them is set pieces. So we’re very happy. I know the coaches, the players put a lot of work into it, and I’m excited that we are efficient.”

The Loons don’t have a high-octane, dynamic attack. They need to prove they can win in different ways. LAFC beat them at their own game Wednesday by conceding possession and daring the Loons to break them down. It won’t be the last time they’ll deal with such an approach now that the rest of the league is noticing their place in the standings.

The next transfer window opens Thursday. The Loons need midfield help as Hassani Dotson recovers from a knee injury. With Dotson out and the Loons in the process of transferring two other players, coach Eric Ramsay looked down his bench during the second half Wednesday and was short on options.

They need reinforcements, for sure, during this window. My wish is for a creative midfielder who can break down defenses. A player who can make the difference when opponents get defensive.

This is where McGuire factors in. The Loons are ranked 26th in payroll among the 30 MLS teams. And I don’t want to spend too much space explaining targeted allocation money and general allocation money here. Trust me when I state that they are in good shape in those areas as well.

There’s a dedicated fan base here. Crowds of 19,000 routinely show up at Allianz Field to pound on drums and sing. They continued to come even when the team was in the bottom third of the Western Conference and while Emanuel Reynoso was going AWOL. A faithful fan base should be rewarded.

This isn’t a demand to blow out the budget, but if another million or two is needed to land a quality player, the payoff could help the Loons advance beyond the Western Conference semifinals, where they exited the playoffs last season. And there’s the chance to draw more eyes to the product.

“I’m quite happy with the squad balance,” El-Ahmad said when asked about his transfer window approach, “and we have good dialogue internally, both with the coaches and CEO and owners, of how we want to improve. And we are looking at all of those opportunities.”

As long as it leads to an impactful signing.

Another reason to strike now: The Loons might need to hire a new coach sooner than later.

Ramsay, 33, has helped forge a definitive style of play while getting his players and fans giddy over set pieces. He drew interest from Southampton of the Championship League in the spring before the English club selected someone else.

As long as the Loons continue to impress, interest in the Welsh-born Ramsay won’t end. Eventually, he’ll receive an offer he can’t refuse.

Enjoy Ramsay while you have him. Another reason why this is a transfer window El-Ahmad, McGuire and the Loons must take advantage of.