MLS end of season roster moves: Herrera's option declined, LAFC in talks with Vela, and more
Yesterday at 09:22 AM
The 2024 MLS season has come and gone for several clubs meaning the roster building for 2025 is underway.
A total of 29 MLS clubs have already made their end-of-season roster announcements with several major moves taking place in both conferences. Miles Robinson’s 2025 contract option was exercised by FC Cincinnati, while Atlanta United did the same with goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
Mikael Uhre, Keegan Rosenberry, and Chris Durkin are also among the players who will be heading back to their respective clubs next season.
The Houston Dynamo have declined Hector Herrera’s contract option for 2025 while LAFC remains in talks with club legend Carlos Vela over a new contract. Vela signed back with Steve Cherundolo’s squad in September, but only for the remainder of the 2024 campaign.
Star striker Raul Ruidiaz’s contract has expired in Seattle, as has Ilie Sanchez’s in LA, and Nick Lima’s in New England.
Many more clubs are expected to announce their roster moves in the coming weeks with the new season only two months away.
Here is where teams stand at the moment, and which teams have reported their roster moves:
*This post will be updated as teams make their announcements.
Atlanta United
Options Exercised: Ajani Fortune, Brad Guzan, Efraín Morales, Santiago Sosa.
Options Declined: Erik Centeno, Nick Firmino, Franco Ibarra.
Expired Loans: Daniel Ríos.
**The club is in negotiations with Ronald Hernández, Jamal Thiaré, Tyler Wolff.
** Dax McCarty and Quentin Westberg are retiring.
Austin FC
Options Exercised: Jimmy Farkarlun, Dani Pereira.
Options Declined: Matt Bersano, Ethan Finlay, Matt Hedges, Alex Ring, Jhojan Valencia.
Expired Contracts: Hector Jimenez.
**The club is in negotiations with Jimenez over a new contract.
Chicago Fire
Options Exercised: Jonathan Dean, Jeff Gal.
Options Declined: Rafael Czichos, Fabian Herbers, Ariel Lassiter,Spencer Richey.
Expired Contracts:Javier Casas, Wyatt Omsberg.
Expired Loans: Allan Arigoni.
Charlotte FC
Options Exercised: Patrick Agyemang, Ben Bender, Brandon Cambridge, Hamady Diop, Jahlane Forbes, George Marks, Andrew Privett, Nicholas Scardina, Tyger Smalls.
Options Declined: Jaylin Lindsey, Jamie Paterson, Junior Urso.
Expired Loans: Pep Biel.
FC Cincinnati
Options Exercised: Álvaro Barreal, Obinna Nwobodo, Miles Robinson, Sergio Santos.
Options Declined: London Aghedo, Joey Akpunonu, Isaiah Foster, Kipp Keller, Arquimides Ordoñez, Malik Pinto.
Purchase Option Exercised: Luca Orellano.
Expired Loans: Niko Gioacchini, Kevin Kelsy.
**The club remains in negotiations with Yamil Asad and Nick Hagglund.
Colorado Rapids
Options Exercised: Calvin Harris, Nate Jones, Oliver Larraz, Keegan Rosenberry.
Options Declined: Ethan Bandré, Rémi Cabral.
**The club is in negotiations with Lalas Abubakar, Sebastian Anderson, Michael Edwards, Jonathan Lewis.
Columbus Crew
Options Exercised: Nicholas Hagen, Aziel Jackson, Christian Ramírez, Abraham Romero, Jacen Russell-Rowe, Patrick Schulte.
Options Declined: Keegan Hughes, Yaw Yeboah.
Expired Contracts: Alexandru Matan
**The club is in negotiations with Evan Bush.
FC Dallas
Options Exercised: Antonio Carrera, Herbert Endeley, Logan Farrington, Tsiki Ntsabeleng, Sebastien Ibeagha, Sam Junqua, Nkosi Tafari.
Options Declined: Liam Fraser, Omar Gonzalez, Dante Sealy, Ema Twumasi, Eugene Ansah, Isaiah Parker, Amet Korça, Malik Henry-Scott.
**The club is in talks with Patrickson Delgado, Asier Illarramendi, Ruan, Jimmy Maurer.
D.C. United
Options Exercised: Aaron Herrera, Garrison Tubbs.
Options Declined: Alex Bono, Nathan Crockford, Cristian Dájome, Jeremy Garay, Christopher McVey, Tyler Miller,Martín Rodríguez, Hayden Sargis, Luis Zamudio.
Expired Contracts: Russell Canouse, Pedro Santos.
Houston Dynamo
Options Exercised: Franco Escobar, Sebastian Kowalczyk, Micael, Gabe Segal.
Options Declined: Ján Greguš, Héctor Herrera, Júnior Moreno, Brad Smith, Ousmane Sylla, Xavier Valdez.
Expired Contracts: McKinze Gaines.
**The club is in talks with Latif Blessing, Steve Clark, Tate Schmitt, Daniel Steres, Andrew Tarbell.
Inter Miami
Options Exercised: Leo Afonso, Jordi Alba, Yannick Bright, CJ dos Santos, Ian Fray, Ryan Sailor, Marcelo Weigandt.
Options Declined: Cole Jensen, Sergii Kryvtsov, Franco Negri, Lawson Sunderland, Felipe Valencia.
Expired Loans: Nicolas Freire.
**The club remains in negotiations with Matías Rojas and Óscar Ustari.
LAFC
Options Exercised: Hugo Lloris, David Ochoa, Sergi Palencia, Eddie Segura, Adrian Wibowo.
Options Declined: Kei Kamara, Luis Müller, Tommy Musto, Diego Rosales.
Expired Contracts: Ilie Sanchez.
Expired Loans: Eduard Atuesta, Lewis O'Brien.
**The club is in discussions with Erik Dueñas, Aaron Long, Jesús Murillo, Marlon, Carlos Vela over a return to LAFC.
LA Galaxy
Options Exercised: Mark Delgado, Tucker Lepley, Jalen Neal, Isaiah Parente, Gino Vivi.
Options Declined: Martin Caceres.
**The club remains in negotiations with Brady Scott, Maya Yoshida, and Eriq Zavaleta.
Minnesota United
Options Exercised: Hassani Dotson, Morris Duggan, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Anthony Markanich Jr., Devin Padelford, Tani Oluwaseyi, Sam Shashoua, Alec Smir, Dayne St. Clair.
Options Declined: Hugo Bacharach, Derek Dodson, Clint Irwin, Moses Nyeman, Patrick Weah.
Expired Contracts: Franco Fragapane, Zarek Valentin.
**The club is in negotiations with Wil Trapp.
CF Montreal
Options Exercised: Nathan Saliba, Jules-Anthony Vilsaint.
Options Declined: Gabriele Corbo, Grayson Doody, Raheem Edwards, Ilias Iliadis, Lassi Lappalainen, Josef Martínez, Matteo Schiavoni, Róbert Thorkelsson, Rida Zouhir.
Expired Contracts: Logan Ketterer, Victor Wanyama.
Expired Loans: Joaquín Sosa.
**The club is in negotiations with Ousman Jabang.
Nashville SC
Options Exercised: Julian Gaines, Lukas MacNaughton.
Options Declined: Forster Ajago, Tah Brian Anunga, Aníbal Godoy, Ben Martino, Amar Sejdić, Joey Skinner.
Expired Contracts: Josh Bauer, Brent Kallman, Dru Yearwood.
New York City FC
Options Exercised: Thiago Andrade, Luis Barraza, Alex Rando, Tomás Romero.
Options Declined: Rio Hope-Gund.
**The club remains in negotiations with Maxi Moralez.
New England Revolution
Options Exercised: Emmanuel Boateng, Brandon Bye, Earl Edwards Jr., Andrew Farrell, Will Sands.
Options Declined: Xavier Arreaga, Joshua Bolma, Dylan Borrero, Nacho Gil, Tommy McNamara, Jonathan Mensah.
Expired Contracts: Nick Lima, Tim Parker, Damian Rivera, Ryan Spaulding, Bobby Wood.
New York Red Bulls
Options Exercised: Carlos Coronel.
Options Declined: Cory Burke, Aidan O’Connor.
Orlando City
Options Exercised: Jack Lynn, Javier Otero, Rafael Santos, Rodrigo Schlegel, Thomas Williams.
Performance-Based Options Triggered: César Araújo, Pedro Gallese, Nico Lodeiro.
Options Declined: Gastón González, Jeorgio Kocevski, Luca Petrasso, Abdi Salim, Carlos Mercado.
Expired Contracts: Felipe.
**The club remains in negotiations with Kyle Smith.
Philadelphia Union
Options Exercised: Isaiah LeFlore, Mikael Uhre.
Options Declined: Jamir Berdecio, Matthew Real, Joaquín Torres.
Expired Contracts: Sam Adeniran, Leon Flach.
**The club is in negotiations with Alejandro Bedoya, Brandan Craig, Jack Elliott.
Portland Timbers
Options Exercised: Hunter Sulte.
Options Declined: Tega Ikoba, Marvin Loría, Mason Toye.
Real Salt Lake
Options Exercised: Gavin Beavers, Javain Brown, Noel Caliskan, Anderson Julio, Philip Quinton, Tommy Silva.
Options Declined: Kevin Bonilla, Erik Holt, Bertin Jacquesson, Benji Michel, Jaziel Orozco, Ilijah Paul, Delentz Pierre, Rubio Rubín.
Expired Contracts: Maikel Chang, Tomás Gómez, Marcelo Silva.
**The club is in negotiations with Zach Farnsworth.
San Jose Earthquakes
Options Exercised: Daniel, DanielMunie, JamarRicketts, OusseniBouda.
Options Declined: Jacob Jackson, JT Marcinkowski, William Yarbrough, Tanner Beason, Tommy Thompson, Alfredo Morales, Will Richmond, Jeremy Ebobisse.
Expired Contracts: Carlos Akapo, Casey Walls, Michael Baldisimo, Jackson Yueill.
**The club is in negotiations with several players over a return to the club for 2025.
Seattle Sounders
Options Exercised: Reed Baker-Whiting, Jonathan Bell, Jacob Castro, Léo Chú, Braudilio Rodrigues, Paul Rothrock.
Options Declined: Sota Kitahara, Nathan, Dylan Teves.
Expired Contracts: Raúl Ruidíaz.
**The club remains in negotiations with João Paulo and Albert Rusnák.
Sporting KC
Options Exercised: Stephen Afrifa, William Agada, Zorhan Bassong, Logan Ndenbe, Memo Rodríguez, Ryan Schewe, Robert Voloder
Options Declined: Robert Castellanos, Ozzie Cisneros, Danny Flores, Chris Rindov.
Expired Contracts: Andreu Fontàs, Tim Melia, Johnny Russell, Rémi Walter.
St. Louis CITY SC
Options Exercised: Chris Durkin, Hosei Kijima, Ben Lundt, Jay Reid, Akil Watts, Michael Wentzel, Indiana Vassilev.
Options Declined: John Klein.
Expired Contracts: *The club is in talks with Jake Nerwinski over a new deal.
Toronto FC
Options Exercised: Alonso Coello, Kobe Franklin, Luka Gavran, Deandre Kerr, Kevin Long, Tyrese Spicer, Kosi Thompson.
Options Declined: Aimé Mabika, Shane O’Neill, Greg Ranjitsingh, Brandon Servania.
Expired Contracts: Prince Owusu, Luke Singh.
Vancouver Whitecaps
Options Exercised: Isaac Boehmer, Déiber Caicedo, Yohei Takaoka.
Options Declined: Levonte Johnson.
**The club is in negotiations with Joe Bendik, J.C. Ngando, Fafà Picault, Ralph Priso, Ryan Raposo, Alessandro Schöpf.
