2026 Crew Roster Thread

If it was the really short CB, that would be on brand for us. He was good though. But short.

 

Zengue ooaned to STL for the rest of the year with purchase option. Opens a 2nd Supplemental Slot. Not that it is terribly inpactful, but I boo this move. BOOO! Did get $50k of GAM.

https://www.stlcitysc.com/news/st-l...ielder-zach-zengue-on-loan-from-columbus-crew
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I. Roster Links

A. MLS Spring 2026 Roster Profiles

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/majo...ter-profiles-following-2026-roster-compliance

B. 2026 MLS Roster Rules & Regs

https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/roster-rules-and-regulations

C. Fall 2025 Salary Info

Will update when the Spring list comes out.

https://mlsplayers.org/resources/salary-guide
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II. Signed Roster

A. Senior Roster (1-20). 19 of 20.

Counts vs the salary budget of $6,425,000. Max salary budget charge is $803,125. Teams not required to fill spots 19 & 20. A minimum salary budget charge is imputed vs the club for unfilled spots below 18.

In addition to the $6.425 mil budget, teams can spend outside this figure via GAM, TAM, DP & U22 costs outside the Salary Budget, and the Supplemental Roster costs.

Rank, Player, Pos, Age, DOB, HT, WT, Nat, Desig(s), Base $$, Guar $$

1. Brias Méndez, AM/W, 29, 1/07/97, 6'2", 168, Spain, DP, INT#1. Thru 28/29. TO 29/30.
2. Daniel Gazdag, AM, 30, 3/2/96, 5'10", 168, Hungary, DP, GC. $2,049,996/ $2,647,635. Thru '27, O '28.
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3. Patrick Schulte, GK, 25, 3/13/01, 6'5", 200, USA, TAM. $900k/$1,032,083. Thru '27, TO in '28.
4. André Gomes, CM, 32, 7/30/93, 6'3", 185, Portugal, INT#2, $875k/$971,944. TAM. Thru 6/27, O '27-'28.
5. Steven Moreira, D, 31 8/13/94, 5'10", 159, France/Cape Verde Islands, GC/V, TAM. $840k/$922k. Thru '26.
6. Sean Zawadzki, M, 26, 4/21/00, 6'0", 160, USA. $800k/$900,500. TAM. Thru '30.
7. Max Arfsten, F/W, 25, 4/19/01, 6'1", 172, USA. $800k/$895k. TAM. Thru '30.
8. Latauro Giaccone, Mid, 25, 2/1/01, 5'8", 152, Argentina, INT#3, $???. Loan. Thru 6/27.
9. Hugo Picard, F/M, 23, 5/09/03, 5'6",160, France, U22#1, INT#4. $685k/$781,244. $200k cap. Thru '28, CO '29.
10. Malte Amundsen, WB, 28, 2/11/98, 5'10", 179, Denmark, GC. $675k/$757,500. Thru '27.
11. Andres Herrera, FB/WB, 27, 11/03/98, 5'10", 165, Argentina, INT#5, TAM. $650/ $727,632. Thru 28/29. TO 29/30.
12. Dylan Chambost, MF, 28, 8/19/97, 5'10", 154, France, GC/V. $600k/$695,250. Thru '29.
13. Nariman Akhundzada, F, 22, 4/23/04, 6'1", 172, Azerbaijan, U22#3, INT#6, U22. $550k/$633,389. $200k cap. Thru '28/29.
14. Sekou Bangoura, CM, 24, 4/5/02, 5'8", Guinea, INT#7, TAM. $450k/$542,167. Thru '29, O '30.
15. Mohamed Farsi, D/M, 26, 12/16/99, 5'10", Algeria/Can, INT#8. $500k/$530k. Thru '27, O '28.
16. Jamal Thiare, F, 33, 3/31/93, 6'0", 154, Senegal, GC. $500k/$530k. Thru '26.
17. Rudy Camacho, CB, 35, 3/5/91, 6'1", 174, France, INT#9. $350k/$415k. Thru '26.
18. Brooks Lennon, FB/WB, 28, 9/22/97, 5'10", 157, USA. $???/$???. Thru 6/27. O in 27/28 & 28/29.
19. Amar Sejdic, CM, 28, 11/29/96, 5'10", 159, Germany/USA. $200k/$214,550. Thru '26.
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20. Open

Vet Min could be Senior or Supplemental. Bush is in that category. But Hagen makes too much. It must be a GAM buydown.

B. Supplemental Roster (21-31)

Does NOT count versus the salary budget of any team. All Generation Adidas players are Supplemental Players during the initial guaranteed term of their contract.

1) Spots 21-24. (Supplemental). 4 of 4.

All players in Slots 21-24 must make a base salary at least equal to the Senior Minimum Salary ($113,400 in 2026). These slots may be filled with: Senior Min players ($113k) which may include: i) HGs, ii) Gen Adidas, iii) designated Superdraft eligible players, or iv) Homegrown players who may or may not earn more than Sen Min due to the HG Subsidy. Players in slots 21-24 must make at least $113,400.

Rank, Player, Pos, Age, DOB, HT, WT, Nat, Desig(s), Base $$/Guar $$

21. Nicholas Hagan, GK, 29, 8/2/96, 6'4", 176, Guatemala/USA. $165k/$183,600. Thru '26, O in '27 & '28.
22. Evan Bush, GK, 40, 3/6/86, 6'1", 187, USA. $113,400. Thru '26.
23. Ceasar Ruvalcaba, D, 24, 7/13/01, 6'2", 170, USA, $113,400. Thru '26, O in '27.
24. Luke Pruter, GK, 24, 9/3/01, 6'5", 207, USA. $113,400. Thru '26, O thru '28.
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Hagen seems to be making too much for Supplemental. We must have bought him down with GAM. IDK this was legal to buy down to moveca guy off Senior? But you can change roster designations with TAM buydowns, and actual salary isn't impacted, so I guess it is OK. It does say you can buy down to the lesser of 50% of salary or $150k, which would get Hagen to vet min.

2) Slots 25-30. (Reserve). 4 of 6.

Must be paid a base salary of at least the Reserve Min salary ($88,025). Must be 24 years of age or younger during the league year (by year of birth). May be filled with Reserve Min players ($88,025) which may include GA's earning Reserve Min, HGs, or HG's earning more than Reserve Min via the HG subsidy. Cannot be filled with Sen Min Players (unless a HG earning more via HG subsidy).

HG subsidy is $125,000 per year in aggregate. Plus $200k of GAM/TAM can be used to sign HGs to their 1st contract.

Rank, Player, Pos, Age,DOB, HT, WT, Nat, Desig(s), Base $$/Guar
25. Taha Habroune, M, 20, 2/5/06, 5'8", 168, USA, HG. $140k/$152k. Thru '27, O '28.
26. Cole Mrowka, MF, 20, 4/6/06, 5'11", 165, USA, HG. $113,400/$133,408. Thru '26. TO '27 & '28.
27. Stanislav Lapkes, GK, 20, 3/3/06, 6'4", 176, Belarus/USA, HG. $95,400/$114,490. Thru '27. O '28/'29.
28. Tristan Brown, M, 18, 10/17/07, 5'11", 159, USA, HG. $88,025/$92,389. Thru '28, O in '29 & '30.
29. Open
30. Open
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C. Loan/Stash Roster: (Slot 31). 1 of 1.

Slot 31 can be filled by a player 24 or younger who is on a season long loan to a lower division club in in the USA or Canada, provided his Budget Charge is </= the Sen Min Charge ($113.4k) and the MLS club does not exercise any recall options during the MLS season (save for short term call-ups).

31. Quinton Elliot, D/M, 22, 1/03/04, 5'10", 159, USA, HG. $88,025/$92,668. Thru '26, O '27-'29.
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D. Off Roster Homegrowns. No limit. (2)

Must be 21 or younger during league year. Once moved to Senior/Supplemental Roster, cannot revert back to Off-Roater HG. Can only be active in MLS as short term call-ups for 6 games. Can be active for non-MLS games (USOC, CCC, LC, etc.).

1. Chase Adams, CF, 17, 4/17/08, 6'0", 160, USA, HG, $88,025/$114,303. Thru '29, O '30.
2. Owen Presthus, D, 19, 2/21/06, 5'10", 154, USA, HG, $88,025/$94,216. Thru '27, O '28.
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E. Season-Ending Injured Reserve (1)

Does not count as a DP/INT for the season if olaced on list before start of secondary transfer window.

1. Wessam Abou Ali, F, 27, 1/4/99, 6'1", 172, Denmark/Palestine, DP, INT#1. $2,775,000/$3,611,750. Thru '27, O '28.
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F. Off Roster/Loaned out (1).

1. Zach Zengue, MF, 22, 1/30/04, 5'9", 160, USA, $88,025. Thru '26, O thru '29. Loaned to STL. Option to but after season.
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III. International Players (9 of 9)

Méndez, Farsi, Herrera, Camacho, Gomes, Picard, Bangoura, Akhundzada, Giaccone.

We got a 9th from LAFC for Cheberko.

Abou Ali on SE-IR so does not count.

New verbiage for 2024, do NOT need a Green Card.

"For a player to be considered a Domestic Player in the applicable season, residency must be established, or the player has to have appeared for an immigrant visa interview by the opening of the Secondary Transfer Window."

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-...new-sporting-initiatives-ahead-of-2024-season
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IV. Green Card Holders/Counts as Domestic (6).

Gazdag (not an INT slot), Moreira (no longer listed), Chambost (no longer listed), Thiare (not listed as INT, presume GC), Hagan (USA parent/ passport), Amundsen (GC).

Moreira started counting as domestic on the Fall 25 roster profile update, along with Chambost.
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V. DP + U22 Initiative Slots (4 of 6)

Team can choose 2 paths. One, 3 DPs + 3 U22s. Two, 2 DPs plus 4 U22s + $2 mil in GAM. Teams must decide by the close of the transfer window this year and start of the year going forward.

DP Budget charge is $803,125. If joins in Secondary Window, then half that. Young DP: 20 & under $150k, 21-23 $200k. Young DP Secondary eillwindow = $150k.

DPs = 2 of 3
1. Méndez
2. Gazdag
3. Open (Abou Ali on Season Ending IR)


U22s = 2 of 3
1. Picard
2. Akhundzada
3. Open

U22 must be 21 in the year he is eligible to play forst game (N/E if turns 23 that year).

U22 players count vs the Budget as young DPs: $150 if 20 ir younger $200k at 22-25.

Can continue to occupy the slot until the year they turn 25. Salary cannot exceed Max Budget unless it is a HG/Superdraft on 2nd contract, who can earn Max Budget +$200k. Clubs may pay acquisition costs without limit (out of pocket, no GAM/TAM).

Crew choose 3+3 path for 2025, but can change midseason.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-announces-significant-roster-rule

VI. Homegrown Players (7)

Habroune, Brown, Mrowka, Lapkes, Adams, Presthus, Elliot.

The following players all carried HG designations last year: Habroune, Brown, Mrowka, Lapkes, and Zawadzki.

This year, when we signed Adams, Presthus, & Elliot, they were referred to as HGs.
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What, you are not counting the people who forgot to opt out and did not show?

 

Massive Report on the Burnley match, recent moves, and possible future ones.

Giaccone is a left footed guy they intend to play at wingback, be it inverted on the right or on the left. Maybe top 3 as well. Sounds like an Arfsten replacement to me.

No pressure from Arfsten for an immediate move, though he does want to go eventually.

Tall sees the final DP spot being used on an attacker.

https://massive-report.com/2026/07/...si-departure-new-dps-and-whats-still-to-come/

 

Remember, we are all out of INT spots unless I have missed someone getting a GC/visa.

And getting off Gazdag or transfering Arfsten does not change that.

 

No, Paul was right, that guy plays for Chicago. 5'11". And I think a generous 5'11". 139 lbs.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/400594/mbekezeli-mbokazi