The New York Atlas extended Bryan Costabile through the 2025 season after the midfielder was set to become a free agent this offseason.

It was a much-needed signing ahead of the 2024 season. As one of the only true two-way midfielders on the Atlas, Costabile provides stability in transition, one of the weakest points of the team’s game.

New York’s need to sub offensive and defensive midfielders in and out with every possession change left it vulnerable in the midfield, and it showed last season. The Waterdogs may have led the league in fast-break efficiency (36.2 percent), but the best fast break team was actually whoever was playing the Atlas. They gave up a league-worst 41 percent of transition chances.

In offensive transitions, New York scored 26 goals on 94 possessions.

Offensive turnovers to defensive transitions were the Atlas’ Achilles heel last season. Those scenes often left Costabile outnumbered as the only player in blue to defend the midfield while offensive midfielders like Xander Dickson, Myles Jones, Dylan Molloy, Justin Guterding and Marc O’Rourke dashed for the box.

Keeping Costabile was step No. 1 for general manager and coach Mike Pressler. Adding more two-way midfielders, whether that’s through free agency or the College Draft, to minimize substitutions and maximize the shot clock — another major area of struggle for New York last season, especially after a won faceoff — should be step No. 2.