The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), in conjunction with Major League Soccer, announced today the 11 protected players ahead of the 2018 MLS Expansion Draft.
The draft, which will provide FC Cincinnati the opportunity to select five players from the eligible MLS player pool, is scheduled for Tuesday, December 11 at 11 a.m. PT.
“We understand the importance of a successful expansion draft, having lived through it a year ago,” said LAFC EVP of Soccer Operations and General Manager John Thorrington. “Leaving any player unprotected in this situation is a difficult decision, which is a testament to the growth and development of the players on our inaugural roster.”
FC Cincinnati can draft a single player from 18 MLS clubs, excluding the five clubs that lost a player during last year’s Expansion Draft – Columbus Crew SC, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, Sporting KC and Toronto FC.
The Black & Gold have protected:
Goalkeepers
Tyler Miller
Defenders
Walker Zimmerman
Midfielders
Eduard Atuesta
André Horta
Mark-Anthony Kaye
Lee Nguyen
Forwards
Latif Blessing
Adama Diomande
Christian Ramirez
Diego Rossi
Carlos Vela
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Defender João Moutinho is automatically protected due to his Generation adidas status, while attacker Shaft Brewer Jr. is automatically protected due to his Homegrown Player status.
The following players on LAFC’s roster will be eligible for selection: defenders Steven Beitashour and Tristan Blackmon, and midfielder Josh Pérez.
Additionally, the following players, who are out of contract or whose options were declined, will also be available in the expansion draft: goalkeepers Luis López, Charlie Lyon and Quillan Roberts, defenders Jordan Harvey, Dejan Jaković and Danilo Silva, midfielders Nico Czornomaz, Benny Feilhaber, Calum Mallace and James Murphy, and forwards Steeve Saint-Duc and Marco Ureña.
Each MLS club had the opportunity to protect 11 players from their 2018 roster, while Homegrown and Generation adidas players on a club’s Supplemental/Reserve Roster are automatically exempt from the draft.
Additional information on the 2018 MLS Expansion Draft can be found HERE.
