FC Dallas announces end-of-year roster moves

We now get a better understanding of where things are going next for the club.

FC Dallas announced its year-end roster moves ahead of the 2024 MLS season today. 

Players under contract for the 2024 season include goalkeepers Maarten Paes and Antonio Carrera; defenders Geovane Jesus, Nolan Norris, Marco Farfan, Ema Twumasi, Nkosi Tafari and Sebastien Ibeagha; midfielders Paxton Pomykal, Eugene Ansah, Dante Sealy, Paul Arriola, Alan Velasco, Bernard Kamungo, Tarik Scott, Isaiah Parker (returning from loan) and Sebastian Lletget; forwards José Mulato, Jesús Ferreira and Jesús Jimenez.

Option exercised (5): Asier Illarramendi, Liam Fraser, Katlego ‘Tsiki’ Ntsabeleng, Sam Junqua, Herbert Endeley
Option declined (3): Collin Smith, Facundo Quignón, José Martínez
In Discussions (3): Jáder Obrian, Jimmy Maurer, Amet Korça

The MLS offseason begins on Monday, Dec. 11, with the trade window opening at 9:00 a.m. The End-of-Year Waivers process then begins on Dec. 12, followed by Free Agency on Dec. 13 and the Re-Entry Process, Stage 1 on Dec. 14.

---

Photo via FC Dallas

2024 FC DALLAS ROSTER (as of Nov. 30, 2023)
Listed alphabetically by position

Goalkeepers (2): Antonio Carrera, Maarten Paes
Defenders (8): Herbert Endeley, Marco Farfan, Sebastien Ibeagha, Geovane Jesus, Sam Junqua, Nolan Norris, Nkosi Tafari, Ema Twumasi 
Midfielders (12): Eugene Ansah, Paul Arriola, Liam Fraser, Asier Illarramendi, Bernard Kamungo, Sebastian Lletget, Tsiki Ntsabeleng, Isaiah Parker, Paxton Pomykal, Tarik Scott, Dante Sealy, Alan Velasco
Forwards (3): Jesús Ferreira, José Mulato, Jesús Jiménez

---

My Thoughts

The five players that saw their options picked up fall pretty much in line with some of the moves we were expecting the club to make. Illarramendi, Fraser and Junqua seemed like locks to be retained for 2024 after their performances in 2023. Ntsabeleng and Endeley were possibly a surprise to some, but they will likely remain on the off-budget Supplemental roster in 2024.