December 6, 2021 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Real Salt Lake News Release
HERRIMAN, Utah – Real Salt Lake today announced several roster moves, returning 20 players – including 10 from the Club’s Academy/Monarchs homegrown pipeline – from the 2021 squad, which posted a 15-15-7 record across both MLS regular-season and MLS Cup Playoff competitions. Today’s announcements arrive on the heels of a dynamic, inspiring and historic run to the Western Conference Final for just the fifth time in Club history, and the first since 2013.
2021 Real Salt Lake MVP and Golden Boot winner Damir Kreilach is currently under contract and will return for 2022, along with 2021 acquisitions FW Rubio Rubin, FW Bobby Wood, MF Jonathan Menendez and Toni Datkovic.
Six Homegrown Players – DF Justen Glad, DF Aaron Herrera, DF Bode Davis, DF Zack Farnsworth, GK Jeff Dewsnup and FW Chris Garcia also are slated to return next season, as is the midfield group of Pablo Ruiz, Nick Besler and Bret Halsey. GK Zac MacMath is under 2022 contract as well.
Real Salt Lake has exercised the options on a total of five players – including GK David Ochoa, D/M Andrew Brody, MF Maikel Chang and DF Erik Holt, a quartet who came through the Club’s development pipeline of RSL Academy and/or Real Monarchs SLC – as well as DF Marcelo Silva.
Meanwhile, RSL has declined contract options for eight players: DF Donny Toia, DF Ashtone Morgan and DF Noah Powder, as well as FW Milan Iloski, FW Tate Schmitt and MF Justin Portillo, along with international attackers Douglas Martinez and Jeizon Ramirez.
Three veteran players – MF Albert Rusnák, winger Justin Meram and MF Everton Luiz – are each currently out of contract. However, Real Salt Lake is actively engaged with 2021 Captain and Slovakian international Rusnák about a potential long-term return, while possibilities remain for Meram and Everton.
The loan agreement with Liga MX side Atletico San Luis for FW Anderson Julio will soon expire. However, the Club is currently in discussions regarding his transfer options and contract.
As of Dec. 6, 2021, Real Salt Lake’s current roster headed into 2022, listed alphabetically by position, is as follows:
Goalkeepers (3): Jeff Dewsnup, Zac MacMath, David Ochoa
Defenders (8): Andrew Brody, Toni Datkovic, Zack Farnsworth, Justen Glad, Bret Halsey, Aaron Herrera, Erik Holt, Marcelo Silva
Midfielders (4): Nick Besler, Maikel Chang, Damir Kreilach, Pablo Ruiz
Forwards (5): Bode Davis, Chris Garcia, Jonathan Menendez, Rubio Rubin, Bobby Wood
Key MLS Offseason Dates / Roster Mechanisms:
Sun., December 12 – Half-day trade window
Tue., December 14 – MLS Expansion Draft
Wed., December 15 – End-of-Year Waivers
Wed., December 15 – Free Agency opens
Fri., December 17 – Re-Entry Process, Stage 1
Thu., December 23 – Re-Entry Process, Stage 2
Tue., January 11 – 2022 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas
Real Salt Lake closed out its 17th season in Club history Saturday, falling 0-2 to Portland in the Western Conference Final. Led by Interim Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni, RSL won two consecutive road matches against rivals Seattle and Sporting Kansas City – part of an overall four-game road win streak to close out the year – before the loss at Portland, finishing the year just one game shy of the MLS Cup Final.
RSL returns to regular-season action on Sunday, February 27 to kick off the 2022 campaign at Houston Dynamo FC to open the Club’s 18th season. The following weekend, on Saturday, March 5, the Claret-and-Cobalt will return to Rio Tinto Stadium to host Seattle Sounders FC for the Home Opener. RSL in 2021 earned a 9-4-4 home record and set a new Club mark for most consecutive home wins, earning seven straight victories at the RioT.
2022 Season Tickets can be purchased at www.RSL.com/tickets, or by calling 844.Real.Tix.
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