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MLS Ticker: Antuna not returning to Galaxy, Timbers in talks with Valeri, and more

MLS roster rebuilding and reshuffling continued on Thursday with eight additional teams announcing their roster moves ahead of the 2020 season.

A trio of the league’s top playmakers headlined the moves with Uriel Antuna not returning to the L.A. Galaxy after a positive season in 2019. The Mexican winger registered six goals and five assists in his debut MLS season.

Diego Valeri remains in talks with the Portland Timbers despite not seeing his option picked up Thursday. Valeri, a four-time MLS All-Star and one-time MLS MVP, has totaled 77 goals and 81 assists in 229 combined league appearances.

In the Eastern Conference, the Montreal Impact announced they have picked up the option for veteran midfielder Ignacio Piatti. Piatti missed most of the 2019 season due to injuries, but remains a key part of the Impact’s roster going forward. In 143 combined league appearances, Piatti has totaled 71 goals and 38 assists.

The New York Red Bulls will see key veterans Bradley Wright-Phillips and Luis Robles leave the club after years of service. The Chicago Fire parted ways with Aleksandar Katai, Nemanja Nikolic, as well as several other players.

Orlando City saw a major loss with leading centerback Salif Sane’s option not picked up for 2020.

Numerous other players will be seeing their time with clubs come to an end after having their options declined. Justin Meram, Servando Carrasco, Ashtone Morgan, and Brek Shea are just four players who will be in search of new clubs in 2020.

Jeff Larentowicz, Claude Dielna, and Bacary Sagna are just three players whose contracts have expired.

Here’s a closer look at Thursday’s MLS roster moves:

Atlanta United

Exercised Options: Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Julian Gressel, Mo Adams, Andrew Carleton.

Declined Options: Jose Hernandez, Florentin Pogba, Chris Goslin, Justin Meram.

Expired Contracts: Brek Shea, Mikey Ambrose, Alec Kann, Kevin Kratz, Jeff Larentowicz.

Expiring Loans: Emerson Hyndman (Dec. 31st).

Chicago Fire

Exercised Options: CJ Sapong, Raheem Edwards.

Declined Options: Diego Campos, Stefan Cleveland, Elliott Collier, Nicolás Gaitán, Aleksandar Katai, Cristian Martínez, Amando Moreno, David Ousted, Richard Sanchez.

Expired Contracts: Nemanja Nikolic.

Retired: Bastian Schweinsteiger.

LAFC

Exercised Options: Tristan Blackmon, Mohamed El-Munir, Adrien Perez, Josh Perez.

Declined Options: Lamar Batista, Dejan Jakovic, Javier Perez, Peter-Lee Vassell.

Expired Contracts: Steven Beitashour, Jordan Harvey.

Expired Loans: Phillip Ejimadu.

L.A. Galaxy

Exercised Options: Justin Vom Steeg, Rolf Feltscher, Emil Cuello, Cristian Pavon.

Expired Contracts: Romain Alessandrini, Daniel Steres, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Bradford Jamieson IV.

Declined Options: Diego Polenta, Favio Alvarez, Juninho, Joao Pedro, Tomas Hilliard-Arce, Servando Carrasco, Matt Lampson, Hugo Arellano.

Expired Loans: Uriel Antuna.

Retired: Chris Pontius.

Minnesota United

Exercised Options: Hassani Dotson, Ethan Finlay, Chase Gasper, Marlon Hairston, Kevin Molino and Wyatt Omsberg.

Declined Options: Rasmus Schuller, Collin Martin, Carter Manley, Wilfried Moimbe-Tahrat, Ally Hamis Ng’anzi, Lawrence Olum and Miguel Ibarra.

Expired Contracts: Bobby Shuttleworth.

Expired Loans: Vito Mannone. (Club is looking to re-sign).

Montreal Impact

Exercised Contracts: James Pantemis, Jorge Corrales, Clement Bayiha, Mathieu Choiniere, Ignacio Piatti, Samuel Piette, Romell Quioto, Amar Sejdic, Shamit Shome, Saphir Taider.

Expired Contracts: Bacary Sagna, Clement Diop, Rod Fanni.

Declined Options: Jason Beaulieu, Daniel Kinumbe, Thomas Meilleur-Giguere, Omar Browne, Ken Krolicki, Jeisson Vargas, Anthony Jackson-Hamel.

Extended Loans: Lassi Lappalainen (June 30, 2020).

Expired Loans: Orji Okwonkwo, Zachary Brault-Guillard, Ballou Tabia.

New England Revolution

Exercised Options: Isaac Angking, Teal Bunbury, Luis Caicedo, Antonio Delamea, Diego Fagundez, Andrew Farrell, Cristian Penilla, Wilfried Zahibo.

Declined Options: Juan Agudelo, Juan Fernando Caicedo, Edgar Castillo, Michael Mancienne, Brian Wright.

Expired Contracts: Cody Cropper, Zachary Herivaux.

New York Red Bulls

Exercised Options: Ryan Meara, Rece Buckmaster, Kyle Duncan, Michael Murillo, Sean Nealis, Amro Tarek, Cristian Casseres Jr, Florian Valot, Tom Barlow, Brian White.

Declined Options: Luis Robles, Vincent Bezecourt, Marcus Epps, Derrick Etienne Jr., Jean-Christophe Koffi, Evan Louro.

Expired Contracts: Bradley Wright-Phillips.

Expired Loans: Josh Sims.

Retired: Connor Lade.

Orlando City

Exercised Options: Kamal Miller, Kyle Smith, Tesho Akindele, Chris Mueller, Santiago Patiño.

Declined Options: Carlos Ascues, Alex De John, Adam Grinwis, Cameron Lindley, Shane O’Neill, Dillon Powers, Greg Ranjitsingh, Uri Rosell, Lamine Sané and Mason Stajduhar.

Expired Contracts: Cristian Higuita, Will Johnson, Sacha Kljestan.

Portland Timbers

Exercised Contracts: None.

Expired Contracts: Claude Dielna.

Declined Options: Diego Valeri (In Negotiations), Kendall McIntosh, Mood Jadama, Foster Langsdorf.

Extended Loans: Jorge Moreira.

Expiring Loans: Cristhian Paredes (Dec. 31st).

Real Salt Lake

Exercised Options: Andrew Putna, Justen Glad, Erik Holt, Everton Luiz, Nick Besler, Justin Portillo, Corey Baird, Jefferson Savarino, Brooks Lennon, Douglas Martinez, Tate Schmitt.

Declined Options: Marcelo Silva, Danilo Acosta, Luke Mulholland, Joao Plata.

Expired Contracts: Donny Toia, Kyle Beckerman, Kelyn Rowe, Sebastian Saucedo.

Retired: Nick Rimando, Tony Beltran, Alex Horwath, Jordan Allen.

Toronto FC

Exercised Options: Auro Jr, Julian Dunn, Richie Laryea, Chris Mavinga, Justin Morrow, Tsubasa Endoh, Liam Fraser, Patrick Mullins.

Declined Options: Caleb Patterson-Sewell, Ashtone Morgan, Aidan Daniels, Ryan Telfer, Jon Bakero.

Expired Contracts: Drew Moor (Dec. 31st).

Expiring Loans: Nicolas Benezet (Dec. 31st).

 

 

Comments

  1. Atuna should have signed with Tottenham. He is a good player, def good enough for a division 1 European team in Bundesliga, Premeire league, or La Liga even though I cannot stand Mexico.

    Reply

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