Today, Orlando City SC officially announced their updated first team roster following the end of the 2022 Major League Soccer campaign.
The first comprehensive evidence as to who is staying, potentially remaining and departing Exploria Stadium before 2023, just two players were named in the ‘option declined’ column.
NEWS: Orlando City SC announces end-of-season statuses following 2022 MLS season.
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) November 14, 2022
Tesho Akindele and Joey DeZart were the names on the ‘option declined’ list.
For both Pedro Gallese and Benji Michel, the Lions have extended bona fide offers to the duo, both of whom are out of contract, which will allow City to maintain a right of first refusal for the players.
For players in the ‘out of contract’ list, it’s worth noting that Orlando City SC are currently in discussions with Adam Grinwis, João Moutinho and Mauricio Pereyra about potential returns in 2023.
This is however the end of Alexandre Pato‘s two-year stay at Exploria Stadium.
Following the announcement, the status of Orlando City SC‘s first team roster was:
Under Contract
César Araújo
Antônio Carlos
Alex Freeman
Gastón González
Robin Jansson
Ercan Kara
Jake Mulraney
Luca Petrasso*
Wilfredo Rivera
Ruan
Rodrigo Schlegel
Mason Stajduhar
Facundo Torres
Thomas Williams
Remains on Loan
Out of Contract
Adam Grinwis
João Moutinho
Alexandre Pato
Mauricio Pereyra
Bona Fide Offers Made
Option Exercised
Wilder Cartagena**
Michael Halliday
Jack Lynn
Andrés Perea
Kyle Smith
Option Declined
Contract Terminated
Drafted
* Traded from Toronto FC on November 10
** Remains on loan from Ittihad Kalba FC
*** Selected by St. Louis CITY SC in the 2022 MLS Expansion Draft
Orlando City UK gathered the best tweets from the Twittersphere following the club announcement.
👏🏽🦁 𝙁𝘼𝙍𝙀𝙒𝙀𝙇𝙇 𝙇𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎 🦁👏🏽
Thank you for all your contributions in purple for @OrlandoCitySC, @Tesho13 and @Pato. 👍🏽
Tesho, thank you for being a stand-up guy on and off the field, and for always taking time out online for fans. 👏🏽#OCTwitter #OrlandoCity #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/UMYYhPf2I1
— Orlando City UK (@Orlando_CityUK) November 14, 2022
Well said 👍 Tesho is a top class ambassador
— Daniel (@bielsaball4141) November 14, 2022
Tesho and Pato will be missed
— Chandler (@CarlisleFan14) November 14, 2022
This is a sad day. But man was it such a beautiful adventure. Thanks for everything @Tesho13 your spirit is so pure that I bet everyone who gets to have you in their presence is a blessing! Much love brother! 💪🏻💪🏻🥹🥹 Best of luck! And I’ll be seeing you around! https://t.co/wEPfVH2KYb
— Codie Cromwell (@OrlandoCity352) November 14, 2022
Thank you Tesho Akindele, Joey DeZart, Júnior Urso
— thatsportsguy (@mtterlikkis) November 14, 2022
Thanks for everything @Tesho13 we will miss you in purple! https://t.co/hNXq9o28hZ
— 🇲🇽🇲🇽 Adrian Viveros 🇸🇻🇸🇻 (@adrian_viveros) November 14, 2022
Thanks for everything on and off the pitch @Tesho13 , best of luck in the future.
— (Not) Like Mike (@notmikeduncan) November 14, 2022
Tesho would’ve been a surprise if not for a certain realtor 😉
Tesho put in some great years for us. He scored some big goals & was a class fella always.
Thank you Tesho! You were great to us. Best of luck #ForeverALion https://t.co/BUSQcvSMyX pic.twitter.com/C6hKwraCXJ
— 🏆 Orlando Lions Den Podcast (@OrlandoLionsDen) November 14, 2022
we’re all just pretending like that one didn’t happen 🤫
— 2022 Open Cup champion team liker (@GavinEwbank) November 14, 2022
There was big moments for us 🦆!!
Best of luck going forward https://t.co/3xUszsUnGk
— 🏆 Orlando Lions Den Podcast (@OrlandoLionsDen) November 14, 2022
…
Support Orlando City UK
Passionate about what we do, Orlando City UK content will always be free. The most important thing for us is sharing our love of Orlando City SC with you all and donations are by no means expected. However, if you enjoy our content, a token towards the regular maintenance of Orlando City UK is hugely appreciated!
