FC Dallas has announced the club’s end of the 2023 season roster moves. The deadline for contract options to be exercised is tomorrow December 1st.
The MLS offseason officially begins on Monday, Dec. 11 with the trade window opening at 9 am. The End-of-Year Waivers process begins on Dec. 12, followed by Free Agency on Dec. 13, and the Re-Entry Process, Stage 1 on Dec. 14.
Contract Options
Option exercised (5):
Asier Illarramendi
Liam Fraser
Tsiki Ntsabeleng
Sam Junqua
Herbert Endeley
Option declined (3):
Collin Smith
Facundo Quignón
José Martínez
In Discussions (3):
Jáder Obrian
Jimmy Maurer
Amet Korça
Ed note: A player listed on “In Discussions” and then not listed on the roster means the club is trying to negotiate a new deal and is almost certainly going to decline their option if no deal is reached.
2024 FC DALLAS ROSTER (as of Nov. 30, 2023)
Goalkeepers:
Antonio Carrera
Maarten Paes
Defenders:
Herbert Endeley
Marco Farfan
Sebastien Ibeagha
Geovane Jesus
Sam Junqua
Nolan Norris
Isaiah Parker
Nkosi Tafari
Ema Twumasi
Midfielders:
Liam Fraser
Asier Illarramendi
Bernard Kamungo
Sebastian Lletget
Tsiki Ntsabeleng
Paxton Pomykal
Alan Velasco
Forwards:
Eugene Ansah
Paul Arriola
Jesús Ferreira
José Mulato
Jesús Jiménez
Tarik Scott
Dante Sealy
Does this mean Jimenez is on the 2024 roster?
Sure, but he had a guaranteed contract. Doesn’t mean he will be on the roster opening day (i.e. Franco Jara)
It means he’s on there… today.
That doesn’t seem to leave much space for improvement
sorry, I am dumb but what does the 8, 12, and 3 mean?
Nothing. that was left over from how the team divided and I forget to take it off. They had some players identified in positions I didn’t think were accurate.
There are two moves that worry me from an “ambition” viewpoint.
1. Ntsabaleng – they’ve chosen to retain a player the coach refused to use in the second half of the season who (most importantly) takes up an international spot that you would otherwise be able to use to bring in a difference making international. He’s on a league minimum salary so this move screams that the Hunts are being cheap – “No ambition”
2. Endeley over Smith – again they’ve chosen to retain the league minimum salary player over the more expensive Homegrown contract player. But the Homegrown player contract is a more cap friendly contract than even the league minimum contract and gives you greater flexibility with your roster construction (assuming you want to maximize it). So i conclude the Hunts are more interested in saving less than <100K of their own money versus maximizing their team quality. No ambition.
I just realized that talking with Obrian is also another indicator of No Ambition. He also occupies a international slot, so Dallas would be using up another international slot for a non-starter (Jimenez, Obrian, Ntsabaleng, Mulato, Ansah). Using five international slots on reserve players is just stupid.
Well said Jim, I agree with you on all 3 comments. It’s clear they kept some very low budget roster filler guys. The international limit is indeed a problem.
Like we’ve been saying on the podcast, this is a big test window for Hunt ambition.
Is Tsiki almost eligible for a green card? Wikipedia says he moved here in 2018 so surely he is close. If so, that could be a reason they’re keeping him.
I know he’s “working on it” but people who know more about green cards than me think it will be quite difficult for him to get one.