Real Salt Lake exercised the contract options on six players from its 2018 roster and declined 10 players’ options, the club announced Tuesday. Additionally, 15 players had guaranteed contracts for 2019 and RSL signed academy product Julian Vazquez last month, giving the club 21 players currently under contract for next year.
Players with options exercised: goalkeeper Andrew Putna; defenders Danilo Acosta and Nick Besler; and forwards Corey Baird, Sebastian Saucedo and Jefferson Savarino.
Players with options declined: goalkeeper Connor Sparrow; defenders Shawn Barry, Tony Beltran, David Horst, Taylor Peay and Demar Phillips; midfielders Jose Hernandez, Luke Mulholland and Sunny; and forwards Ricky Lopez-Espin and Luis Silva.
Having a contract option exercised does not guarantee a player will remain with the club next year. Players under contract may be traded during the offseason or selected in the MLS expansion draft if left unprotected.
Likewise, a player out of contract or whose option was declined can renegotiate a new contract with the club. If RSL does not reach a new agreement with these players, the following MLS roster mechanisms will apply, according to a statement released by the club:
“Barry, Hernandez, Lopez-Espin, Peay and Sparrow would all be all eligible for the 2018 MLS Waiver Draft; Mulholland, Phillips and Sunny would be eligible for the 2018 Re-Entry Process; and Beltran, Horst and Silva would be eligible for MLS Free Agency, or the Re-Entry Process, should they choose to participate.”
RSL’s active roster a of Nov. 27:
Goalkeepers (3): Alex Horwath, Andrew Putna, Nick Rimando
Defenders (8): Danilo Acosta, Nick Besler, Justen Glad, Adam Henley, Aaron Herrera, Brooks Lennon, Nedum Onuoha, Marcelo Silva
Midfielders (4): Kyle Beckerman, Damir Kreilach, Pablo Ruiz, Albert Rusnák
Forwards (6): Jordan Allen, Corey Baird, Joao Plata, Sebastian Saucedo, Jefferson Savarino, Julian Vazquez