With St. Louis CITY SC entering the next chapter of its MLS journey, the club today announced several roster moves as it heads into the offseason. CITY SC currently has 22 players under contract for 2026 after exercising seven player options and declining six.
CITY SC exercised 2026 contract options for the following players: Chris Durkin, Sangbin Jeong, João Klauss, Brendan McSorley, Christian Olivares, Jaziel Orozco and Miguel Perez.
The club declined 2026 contract options for defenders Henry Kessler, Michael Wentzel and Josh Yaro, and midfielders Rasmus Alm, Alfredo Morales, and Akil Watts.
Defenders Henry Kessler and Josh Yaro had their contract option declined but are currently in conversations with the club on a potential return for next season.
Ben Lundt is out of contract and is eligible for MLS Free Agency. Lundt is also in contact with the club on a potential return for next season. Selmir Pidro’s contract with the club has expired.
Discussions regarding contract options for Joey Zalinsky, Jayden Reid and Seth Antwi are still in progress.
The loan agreements for Conrad Wallem (SK Slavia Prague) and Devin Padelford (Minnesota United) expire on Dec. 31, 2025 but the club is in conversations with their parent clubs about potential returns.
“We want to thank each of the players whose contract options were not renewed for their professionalism and commitment throughout their time with us and can’t thank them enough for their passion for this club,” said interim sporting director, John Hackworth. “They all contributed in different ways, and we wish them all the best in the next chapter of their careers.”
“As we prepare for 2026, our focus is now on building a roster for the upcoming season that reflects our ambitions as a club moving forward,” said CITY SC President and GM Diego Gigliani. “This marks an important step in the next chapter of this team and who we want to become, as we look to refresh our squad and improve our competitiveness.”
Following today’s announcement, CITY has 22 players under contract for the 2026 season:
Goalkeepers (2): Roman Bürki, Christian Olivares
Defenders (6): Kyle Hiebert, Jaziel Orozco, Tomas Totland, Timo Baumgartl, Fallou Fall, Jake Girdwood-Reich*
Midfielders (8): Marcel Hartel, Tomáš Ostrák, Eduard Löwen, Célio Pompeu, Mykhi Joyner, Chris Durkin, Tyson Pearce, Miguel Perez
Forwards (6): João Klauss, Cedric Teuchert, Brendan McSorley, Sangbin Jeong, Simon Becher, Caden Glover
*- On loan
