MLS contract options: Who’s staying and who’s going entering 2021 offseason
As the 2020 season draws to a close with MLS Cup on Dec. 12, all 26 clubs will be revealing their decisions on player contract options in advance of a busy offseason during which they’ll be retooling for next year’s campaign.
Latest updates up top, then a club-by-club snapshot below featuring all roster decisions. Players who are staying, those who are going and others who have received new contract offers from their club:
Nov. 30: Toronto decline Piatti option, opening another DP spot
Toronto FC will be on the search for a Designated Player once again.
TFC declined the contract option on winger Pablo Piatti, who had four goals and four assists in his first season in MLS. The move opens a DP spot for one of the highest spending teams in MLS. That’ll be a key storyline to watch this winter.
Toronto will return most of the roster outside of that, though left back Justin Morrow and center back Laurent Ciman are among those out of contract. The loan of Tony Gallacher from Liverpool has expired as well.
Nov. 30: Whitecaps retain at least 25 players for 2020
Whitecaps CEO and sporting director Axel Schuster spoke after the season that the club had a solid core of players and didn’t want to make big changes. Their first act of the offseason, in announcing contract decisions, backed that up.
Vancouver have 25 players under contract for next season after missing the playoffs last year, while they continue to negotiate with Andy Rose and Fredy Montero, neither of which are currently under contract.
Schuster has identified a few key areas for improvement this offseason, including the need for a DP No. 10, but is content with the foundation of the squad. The Whitecaps added 14 new players last year, headlined by club-record signing Lucas Cavalini.
Nov. 30: D.C. United pick up four options, decline six
D.C. United have picked up the contract options on a number of regulars from last year, including midseason acquisition Yordy Reyna.
Reyna joined United via a trade from the Vancouver Whitecaps in exchange for $400,000 in General Allocation Money. He had an assist in 237 minutes after being acquired.
United have 19 players under contract while they continue to be in talks with “a number of players” whose contracts expired or options declined. Oneil Fisher and Felipe Martins headline the players whose contracts were declined.
“We have experienced, professional players combined with a terrific core of young Homegrown talent, and we expect to make some important additions to the roster this off-season,” United GM & VP of soccer operations said in a club statement.
Nov. 30: Red Bulls open up flexibility for key offseason
To kick off head of sport Kevin Thelwell’s first offseason in charge, the New York Red Bulls opened plenty of roster flexibility for additions.
There are now 22 players under contract after announcing their decisions, including the expiration of Samuel Tettah’s loan. The club had a purchase option in the forward’s loan agreement. RBNY declined the contract option for Marc Rzatkowski as well.
RBNY are heading towards a key offseason, as new head coach Gerhard Struber will get his first full year in charge. Struber favors a high-tempo, high-pressing system and is likely to bring in a few new recruits. The moves open up another two international slots as well.
“As we move forward into next season, we have clear focus on recruiting players that fit our philosophy, improve our squad, and help push us towards our goal of competing for the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup,” Thelwell said in a club statement.
Nov. 30: Real Salt Lake retain 22 players but Beckerman, Rossi and others in limbo
After a disappointing 2020 season, Real Salt Lake head into the offseason with 22 players under contract.
The club picked up contract options on eight players, including defender Justen Glad and midfielder Everton Luiz, but declined the options on four players, led by forward Giuseppe Rossi.
Rossi, 33, made just one start for RSL this season. The former Italy international had one goal over 172 minutes, mostly off the bench. Club legend Kyle Beckerman is out of contract. GM Elliot Fall noted the club and Beckerman are having positive discussions about the future.
Club Rosters
 Atlanta United |
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GK (2): Brad Guzan, Alec Kann |
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UNDER CONTRACT (17): Ezequiel Barco, George Campbell, Jürgen Damm, Brad Guzan, Emerson Hyndman, Adam Jahn, Alec Kann, Brooks Lennon, Josef Martinez, Fernando Meza, Marcelino Moreno, Jake Mulraney, Eric Remedi, Miles Robinson, Matheus Rossetto, Anton Walkes, Tyler Wolff |
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 Chicago Fire FC |
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GK (4): Chris Brady, Kenneth Kronholm, Bobby Shuttleworth, Gabriel Slonina |
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UNDER CONTRACT (23): Ignacio Aliseda, Robert Berić, Jonathan Bornstein, Chris Brady, Francisco Calvo, Javier Casas Jr., Przemysław Frankowski, Gastón Giménez, Brian Gutiérrez, Fabian Herbers, Johan Kappelhof, Kenneth Kronholm, Álvaro Medrán, Alex Monis, Miguel Navarro, Mauricio Pineda, Andre Reynolds II, Allan Rodríguez, Boris Sekulić, Bobby Shuttleworth, Gabriel Slonina, Luka Stojanović, Carlos Terán. |
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 FC Cincinnati |
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GK (2): Ben Lundt, Beckham Sunderland |
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UNDER CONTRACT (12): Saad Abdul-Salaam, Frankie Amaya, Alvaro Barreal, Allan Cruz, Franko Kovacevic, Yuya Kubo, Jurgen Locadia, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Tom Pettersson, Beckham Sunderland, Maikel van der Werff, Brandon Vazquez |
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 D.C. United |
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GK (1): Bill Hamid |
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UNDER CONTRACT (15): Paul Arriola, Yamil Asad, Steven Birnbaum, Frédéric Brilliant, Russell Canouse, Edison Flores, Jacob Greene, Julian Gressel, Bill Hamid, Ola Kamara, Moses Nyeman, Kevin Paredes, Donovan Pines, Erik Sorga, Griffin Yow
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 Montreal Impact |
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GK (3): Clément Diop, James Pantemis and Jonathan Sirois |
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UNDER CONTRACT (12): Luis Binks, Zachary Brault-Guillard, Rudy Camacho, Keesean Ferdinand, Mustafa Kizza, Lassi Lappalainen, Emanuel Maciel, Samuel Piette, Ballou Tabla, Maximiliano Urruti, Victor Wanyama, Joel Waterman |
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 New York Red Bulls |
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GK (2): David Jensen and Ryan Meara |
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UNDER CONTRACT (14): Cristian Casseres Jr., Caden Clark, Mandela Egbo, Omir Fernandez, David Jensen, Mathias Jørgensen, Aaron Long, Ryan Meara, Tim Parker, Jason Pendant, Amro Tarek, John Tolkin, Dru Yearwood and Brian White |
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 Real Salt Lake |
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GK (2): Zac MacMath and David Ochoa |
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UNDER CONTRACT (14): Corey Baird, Nick Besler, Andre Brody, Bode Davis, Chris Garcia, Aaron Herrera, Milan Iloski, Damir Kreilach, Ashtone Morgan, Noah Powder, Pablo Ruiz, Albert Rusnak, Marcelo Silva and Donny Toia |
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 Toronto FC |
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GK (3): Alex Bono, Kevin Silva, Quentin Westberg |
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UNDER CONTRACT (21): Jozy Altidore, Auro, Alex Bono, Michael Bradley, Marky Delgado, Griffin Dorsey, Erickson Gallardo, Omar Gonzalez, Richie Laryea, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, Chris Mavinga, Jayden Nelson, Noble Okello, Jonathan Osorio, Jordan Perruzza, Alejandro Pozuelo, Ralph Priso, Rocco Romeo, Jacob Shaffelburg, Patrick Mullins, Quentin Westberg |
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 Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
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GK (4): Isaac Boehmer, Evan Bush, Maxime Crépeau, Thomas Hasal |
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UNDER CONTRACT (18): Ali Adnan, Evan Bush, Janio Bikel, Lucas Cavallini, Simon Colyn, Maxime Crepeau, Cristian Dájome, Gianfranco Facchineri, Erik Godoy, Cristián Gutiérrez, Jasser Khmiri, David Milinković, Leonard Owusu, Damiano Pecile, Ryan Raposo, Tosaint Ricketts, Russell Teibert, Ranko Veselinović |
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