Charlotte FC Does Not Draft Any Eligible Real Salt Lake Player In Expansion Draft

SALT LAKE CITY – Charlotte FC did not choose any eligible Real Salt Lake player in the expansion draft.

Charlotte FC will become the 28th Major League Soccer club when it debuts in 2022. The expansion draft occurred on Tuesday, December 14th.

Charlotte FC had five selections. Once they selected a player from a team they were unable to select another player from that team.

The Selections

McKinze Gaines from Austin FC was the first player selected by Charlotte FC. Gaines played in nine games scoring one goal in 2021 for Austin after joining them from Hannover 96 midway through the season.

Defender Anton Walkes from Atlanta United was the second player drafted. Walkes appeared in 77 games with Atlanta United since 2017, including six Concacaf Champions League games.

Costa Rica international Joseph Mora from D.C. United was the second defender drafted by Charlotte with their third pick. Mora appeared in 97 games with United over four seasons.

The picks are in for @CharlotteFC. ✔️ pic.twitter.com/uvPK4auHEv

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) December 15, 2021

Tristan Thompson of LAFC was the fourth player selected. In four seasons with LAFC, Thompson started 46 games, appearing in 64 total.

NYCFC attacking midfielder Ismael Tajouri-Shradi was the final player selected by Charlotte. Tajouri-Shradi scored seven goals and added one assist in his 26 appearances in 2021 and played a pivotal role throughout NYCFC’s MLS Cup-winning run.

Eligible Real Salt Lake Players

Real Salt Lake listed 10 players eligible for the draft –

• Datković, Toni
• Luiz, Everton
• Martinez, Douglas
• Meram, Justin
• Morgan, Ashtone
• Portillo, Justin
• Powder, Noah
• Putna, Andrew
• Ramirez, Jeizon
• Toia, Donny

Datković, 28, was the only Real Salt Lake player under contract. The remaining nine players were all out of contract and are not on the 2022 Real Salt Lake roster.

As of December 14, 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