Less than a month after getting trounced by the LA Galaxy in the Western Conference semifinals, Real Salt Lake have begun the process of retooling their roster for 2015.
RSL general manager Garth Lagerwey told The Salt Lake Tribune on Monday that the club has declined contract options on longtime forward Robbie Findley and defenders Rich Balchan, Aaron Maund and Abdoulie Mansally. Lagerwey added that RSL have already entered negotiations for a potential new contract with Mansally.
The club confirmed the declined options on Findley, Balchan and Maund on Monday, and also announced the option of forward Benji Lopez had been declined. The Homegrown forward, signed in 2013 from the club's Arizona's academy, never made a league appearance for RSL.
Additionally, Lagerwey saidthat the club has extended Bona Fide offers to out-of-contract players Nat Borchers, Chris Wingert and Cole Grossman, the last of which the Tribune reported had a two-week trial with former US national team head coach and Norwegian club Stabaek at the conclusion of RSL’s season.
Lagerwey also told the Tribune that RSL exercised their options on their remaining 21 players from the 2014 roster. That number includes defender Carlos Salcedo, who announced last week via Twitter that he’d asked the team to decline his option.
Monday’s news seemingly brings an end to Findley’s second stint at RSL. The former US international scored 36 goals in 135 regular season appearances in parts of six seasons with the Claret-and-Cobalt, but had just one goal in 16 league games while battling injuries this year.
Findley, Maund and Balchan will be eligible for the MLS Re-Entry Process, which begins with Phase I on Dec. 12. Mansally, Borchers, Wingert and Grossman will also be eligible for Re-Entry if they’re unable to agree to new terms with RSL prior to Phase I draft (click here for MLS’s full roster rules). Lopez will be eligible for the Waiver Draft, which will be held on Dec. 10.
