Luca Moisa (Real Monarchs) – Scout Report

Luca Moisa is a 17-year-old versatile, right-footed midfielder who typically features as one of the two pivots in Real Monarchs’ 4-2-3-1, often occupying the more defensive-minded role. Despite his young age, the American-Romanian has already established himself as a starter, recording 14 MLS Next Pro appearances and earning 5 caps with the USA U17s.

With his 1.70 m (5’7″) frame and a normal-to-slim build, still in physical development, Moisa is not a dominant presence in midfield. He relies more on his cognitive and technical qualities to compete. In duels, he can be outmuscled, both shoulder-to-shoulder and aerially, yet he shows solid balance and coordination, using his body intelligently to shield the ball and occasionally bounce off challenges to retain possession, though this is less effective in defensive dueling. Moisa is easy on the eye. He moves smoothly across the pitch, with clean footwork, good agility, and a sharp acceleration for his position. Overall, he is a mobile player who covers ground with ease and efficiency.

In his team’s build-up phase, Moisa’s primary focus is to keep central areas secure while positioning himself to receive after creating separation with sharp movements behind the pressing opponent. He shows good spatial awareness when moving to receive, though at times he lacks the proactiveness to consistently find pockets of space. On the ball, Moisa displays a maturity beyond his years, combining composure with strong technical proficiency. Frequent scanning, smart body orientation, and a clean first touch allow him to turn forward into free space immediately. Moisa has a natural feel for the game and is a quick decision maker, often painting a picture before receiving. He manipulates the ball well and passes effectively with both feet, creating angles and accelerating play. However, his execution can be inconsistent, especially under pressure, with overhit passes. His contributions in the final third remain limited, as his attacking runs are not yet frequent. Nonetheless, he shows clear potential in this area through his sense of timing and space. Moisa tends to infiltrate the left half-space, arriving at the right moment to provide an option. Once in these advanced areas, he has the vision, composure, and passing technique to find runners in the box with cutbacks or crosses.

Off the ball, Moisa compensates for a lack of frame with tenacious pressing and strong positional awareness. His sense of positioning in large central areas is excellent, as he consistently scans and adjusts to close potential gaps and limit available space. For ball recoveries, he relies on quick reactions and sharp bursts of acceleration to pounce on loose balls or exploit poor first touches. He is proactive in his approach, always with a clear purpose, and demonstrates good timing when engaging as part of the collective press. When stepping out, Moisa closes down the opponent quickly and often adopts a side-on body stance to restrict passing options.

Moisa fits the profile of a modern, mobile, and versatile midfielder with playmaking abilities. His play style allows him to thrive in possession-oriented teams that emphasize control, ball retention, and structured pressing. While limited by his dueling strength, he shows significant potential as a highly intelligent, all-around midfielder if he continues to develop his physical frame. He minimizes distribution errors under pressure, and is granted the tactical freedom to advance and create higher up the pitch.

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