If you’ve been around these parts for a time, then you will likely be familiar with the roster model I use off season construction of the FC Dallas roster as we move from one season to the next. It helps me define the holes in the FCD roster and what kinds of players they might be targeting.
The model uses 3 strikers, 4 wingers (2 each side), 2 attacking-mids, 2 linking-mids, 3 holding-mids, 2 outside backs on each side, 5 center backs, 3 goalkeepers, and 5 miscellaneous players.
As I worked up this roster, it started to look like 2025 may very well look a lot like the 2024 team.
Things We Know
The end of season moves came out this week, so we have a bunch of names under contract as well as a few players FC Dallas is in discussions with. Here’s are some specifics we know.
1. FC Dallas is negotiating with Asier Illarramendi, Jimmy Maurer, Patrickson Delgado, and Ruan.
2. The club is waiting for long term prognosis on Paxton Pomykal.
3. Andre Zanotta said Anthony Ramirez and Tarik Scott will be with the first team. Scott alraedy was, so we assume he means Ramirez will be announced as a Homegrown but also both will actually be in the 30 man roster.
4. We know FCD is looking for a center back, they tried to sign one last window. And they have said as much since.
5. FCD’s first round Super Draft pick will almost certainly make the roster.
6. The team really needs to sign Diego Garcia from North Texas SC and I can only barely queeze him in. Let alone room for anyone else.
7. MLS roster’s can carry an extra 31st player and any extra Homegrows that it wants (aka 32 and up on the roster).
Buzz’s FC Dallas Roster Build Model for 2025
Homegrowns are in red.
Decision Points are in purple.
Players FCD says they are negotiating with are in green.
| Ros No. | End of 2024 | Roster Spot | Start of 2025? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petar Musa | F 1 | Petar Musa |
| 2 | Logan Farrington | F 2 | Logan Farrington |
| 3 | Tarik Scott | F 3 | Tarik Scott |
| 4 | Alan Velasco | W 1 | Alan Velasco |
| 5 | Jesus Ferreira | W 2 | Jesus Ferreira |
| 6 | Paul Ariola | W 3 | Paul Ariola |
| 7 | Bernard Kamungo | W 4 | Bernard Kamungo |
| 8 | Sebastian Lletget | AM 1 | Sebastian Lletget |
| 9 | Tsiki Ntsabeleng | AM 2 | Tsiki Ntsabeleng |
| 10 | Paxton Pomykal? | LM 1 | Healthy? |
| 11 | Tomas Pondeca | LM 2 | Tomas Pondeca |
| 12 | Asier Illarramendi? | DM 1 | Negotiating |
| 13 | Show Cafumana | DM 2 | Show Cafumana |
| 14 | Marco Farfan | LB 1 | Marco Farfan |
| 15 | Sam Junqua | LB 2 | Sam Junqua |
| 16 | TAM/GAM CB? | CB 1 | A lefty, I hope. |
| 17 | Sebastien Ibeagha | CB 2 | Sebastien Ibeagha |
| 18 | Nkosi Tafari | CB 3 | Nkosi Tafari |
| 19 | Carl Sainte | CB 4 | Carl Sainte |
| 20 | Young CB? | CB 5 | Draft pick maybe? |
| 21 | Geovane Jesus | RB 1 | Geovane Jesus |
| 22 | Ruan? | RB 2 | Negotiating |
| 23 | Maarten Paes | G 1 | Maarten Paes |
| 24 | Antonio Carrera | G 2 | Antonio Carrera |
| 25 | Jimmy Maurer? | G 3 | Negotiating |
| 26 | Anthony Ramirez | W 5 | Anthony Ramirez |
| 27 | Enes Sali | W 6 | Enes Sali |
| 28 | Nolan Norris | D/M | Nolan Norris |
| 29 | Herbert Endeley | RB 3 | Herbert Endeley |
| 30 | Patrickson Delgado? | AM 3 | Buy or loan renew? |
| 31 | Diego Garcia? | LM 3 | Sign him!! |
| 32 | Ale Urzua | Extra HG | Ale Urzua |
Same Verse or No?
You see what I mean? Depending on how agressive FCD gets, we could be looking at pretty much the same team as 2024 except for maybe a center back starter and a draft pick. Maybe Diego Garcia? Maybe Paxton Pomykal returns? Some other new homegrown? They do think “this is a playoff roster.”
Or maybe not? Do you expect them to be agressive and start moving some parts?
Time will tell, I suppose.
I expect the half capacity stadium to set the tone for the next few years. Half attendance means half the income, I know they cannot get to half the budget, but they’ll try!
The owners are notoriously cheap when it comes to spending their own money, why expect anything different when they can only make (about) half of what they usually do. They’ve offset the loss by skyrocketing ticket prices, mine are more than 50% higher and much worse seat locations during the remodel.
Look, those idiots thought this was a playoff capable roster in 24 and it only blew up in their faces due to injuries. Had we made the playoffs “we were so close and we’ll try harder next year” would be the same platitude we’ve always heard.
Hunt bros don’t seem to acknowledge that winning = money regarding fcd. If they did, they’d act like big boy owners and actually try to win every year. Instead they try to make the playoffs and make profit.
Don’t believe anything Dan Hunt says, he’s a liar. We’ve been lied to repeatedly on multiple subjects for a decade now.
Where is the money in american sports?
It all in winning. That can help, but it isn’t the most important thing. The most important thing is survival. The economics in american sports is still on the up and up. Keeping the team means growing value. The Hunts saved the league and almost lost their investment. They know they need to operate within their means to make sure they don’t lose the franchise. And as long as they keep the franchise, they will make hundreds of millions, or billions eventually. They are smart sports businessmen. It is a business. We might want them to spend more money as fans, but at the end of the day it is literally just a business. make money. get paid.
it’s not all in winning*
Selling Jesus turns this all upside-down. It would trigger a few internal MLS trades I expect, making some of those existing contracts less secure roster spots.
The Hunts are the 12th richest family in America with and estimated $25B. The sale of Jesus is a rounding error for them. They could spend on the team but choose not to.
Buzz, the real question is: will there be drone shows in ‘25?
Of course there will be, FCD loves them some drone shows!
Ok to their credit I don’t think that Dallas being a playoff team if that roster is healthy is crazy. I mean a full season of Velasco alone seems like it’d be worth at least the 9 points it woulda taken to move out of the play in game. Now, the leap between “playoff team” and “good team” is a different story. And not having a plan to address injuries or injury prone guys is a problem.
It did hurt my heart to see Ibby still in a starting spot here lol. And I hope they move on from Arriola and Pax. I like those guys and hope they have all the success, but I don’t trust Pax’s health and Arriola’s price is high. Moving off those 2 guys would free up $ to sign 3 quality starters without having to do anything crazy. If you could flip their $2.7ish million into a pair of quality CBs and a MF I’d honestly be reasonably happy with that offseason.