FC Dallas and the 24-man roster

If you’ve been reading or listening to 3rd Degree over the last year you will have heard me talk about Coach Nico Estevez’s stated desire to have a shorter FC Dallas roster. Something like 25 to 26 players rather than 30.

With the end of the primary MLS transfer window, it seems a good time to check on where Dallas ended up for 2023.

Right now the club has a 24-man first-team roster. Allow me to show you.

You will also recall, I hope, the roster-building model I’ve been using for a few years now. I listed revised it at the end of spring camp. It’s basically a two-deep with an extra striker, center back, and goalie.

So here it is again, showing the current roster state of just 24 first-team players.

The FC Dallas First Team Roster

PositionPlayer
19Jesus Ferreira
29Jesus Jiminez
39Jose Mulato
4WingPaul Arriola
5WingAlan Velasco
6WingJader Obrian
7WingBernard Kamungo
8Free-8Sebastian Lletget
9Free-8Empty
10Linking-8Paxton Pomykal
11Linking-8Tsiki Ntsabeleng
126Edwin Cerrillo
136Facundo Quignón
14LBMarco Farfan
15LBSam Junqua
16CBNkosi Tafari
17CBJose Martinez
18CBSebastien Ibeagha
19CBNolan Norris
20CBAmet Korça
21RBEma Twumasi
22RBGeovane Jesus
23GKMaarten Paes
24GKJimmy Maurer
25GKAntonio Carrera

“But wait,” I’m sure some of you are saying, “what about player X?”

Here are the answers…

PlayerRoster MoveNotes
Dante SealyLoanPSV
Justin CheLoanHoffenheim
Isaiah ParkerLoanSan Antonio FC
Collin SmithLoanBirmingham Legion
Herbert EndeleyLoanNorth Texas SC
Tarik ScottInjured Reserve

Additions Coming?

24 is actually less than we expected.

We still think FCD will target a CB in the summer window. And you can see from my methodology there might be a need for an 8 after Brandon Servania was traded but Coach Nico has said they like bringing up players from North Texas or the Academy as part of training to fill that need.

The Justin Che and Dante Sealy loans run out at the end of June. We don’t expect Che to return but Sealy is fairly probable. The Isaiah Parker and Collin Smith loans both have a right or recall. Herbert Endeley is an inter-club loan and he can come to MLS any time if needed.

MLS rosters are not frozen, so FCD can make moves. The secondary MLS transfer window runs from July 5th to August 2nd. MLS rosters freeze on September 13th.

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