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The newest MLS enlargement group added a couple of extra names to the roster on Wednesday night time by means of the league’s Enlargement Draft mechanism which permits San Diego FC to pick out 5 eligible gamers from different MLS golf equipment.
Every MLS membership is allowed to guard 12 of their gamers from choice along with different restrictions resembling Era Adidas gamers and Homegrown gamers underneath the age of 25.
Though many big-name gamers together with DPs resembling Hector Herrera and Lorenzo Insigne are sometimes left unprotected by their golf equipment, such alternatives are extraordinarily uncommon as groups would fairly signal their very own designated gamers. As a substitute, enlargement drafts are inclined to give attention to undervalued contracts the place home gamers may be signed for reasonable sums.
Every membership additionally gauges its curiosity in draft-eligible gamers in case they develop into all in favour of establishing a commerce with SDFC. Just one participant may be chosen from a single group and every membership with a participant chosen will obtain $50,000 of Basic Allocation Cash in compensation.
Right here is who San Diego determined to choose:
Heine Gikling Bruseth (Orlando Metropolis SC)
The primary choose of the 2024 MLS Enlargement Draft was probably the most stunning choose of the lot. Heine Gilling Bruseth is a 20-year-old Norwegian youth worldwide midfielder who arrived at Orlando Metropolis as a U22 initiative participant simply this previous summer time.
Regardless of failing to make an look but for Orlando in his quick time, Bruseth is seen as a artistic participant with high quality imaginative and prescient and many room to enhance. The uncertainty makes his choice the riskiest within the draft however Bruseth already has 45 first-team appearances underneath his belt and can be trying to make a reputation for himself when San Diego kicks off their inaugural season in 2025.
Bruseth earned $217,471 in assured compensation in 2024 based on MLSPA.
2. Hamady Diop (Charlotte FC)
After being chosen with the #1 general choose within the 2023 MLS SuperDraft, Diop noticed lower than 100 first-team minutes earlier than spending a while in MLS Subsequent Professional and ultimately being despatched on mortgage to Serbia.
Nonetheless, the 22-year-old Senegalese central defender nonetheless has expertise that SDFC believes may be developed right into a helpful squad piece. Diop is robust within the air at six toes tall with the athleticism to develop into a top quality rotational participant in MLS, or maybe extra down the road.
Diop earned $97,216 in assured compensation in 2024 based on MLSPA.
3. Jasper Löffelsend (Colorado Rapids)
With the third choose within the 2024 MLS Enlargement Draft, San Diego FC adopted all of the unwritten guidelines. In Jasper Löffelsend, SDFC chosen a participant who meets the entire conventional standards as a rotational home participant on an affordable contract who brings versatility to the roster.
Historically a midfielder, Löffelsend is defensively minded with the flexibility to play fullback. He’s robust in floor duels and covers numerous grass irrespective of his place. Though Löffelsend solely began two of 19 appearances for Colorado this season, San Diego will probably be trying to return him to the 19 begins (31 appearances) or 15 begins (21 appearances) he had in 2022 and 2023 respectively for Actual Salt Lake.
Löffelsend earned $255,833 in assured compensation in 2024 based on MLSPA.
Thiago Andrade (New York Metropolis FC)
Keep in mind how I mentioned each MLS membership can be assessing the enlargement draft for gamers they is likely to be all in favour of? That’s proper. It’s commerce time.
First up, 24-year-old Brazilian ahead Thiago Andrade is about for a return to MLS play after spending the final two seasons on mortgage Athletico Paranaense (Brazil) and Shenzhen Peng Metropolis (China). Earlier than his loans, Andrade recorded 12 targets and 5 assists in 71 matches from 2021-24 for New York Metropolis FC.
Now, Toronto FC will hope they will flip Andrade’s deep runs behind opponents’ again traces into targets and assists as soon as once more. In alternate for Andrade, San Diego will obtain the No. 9 general choose within the 2025 MLS SuperDraft, $250k in conditional GAM, and a sell-on price for any future switch overseas.
Andrade earned $219,600 in assured compensation in 2024 based on MLSPA.
Hosei Kijima (St. Louis CITY SC)
Lastly, Hosei Kijima was additionally leveraged in a commerce by SDFC, transferring the participant on to D.C. United in alternate for $400k in 2025 GAM.
The 22-year-old versatile Japanese attacker had a powerful debut season in 2024 with St. Louis CITY SC, bouncing backwards and forwards between the primary and second group, together with a Ninetieth-minute winner in opposition to Houston Dynamo within the Concacaf Champions Cup together with his first skilled aim. Quickly after he added his first MLS aim and help.
D.C. United clearly expects the trajectory of the No. 17 general choose within the 2024 MLS SuperDraft to proceed to rise whereas San Diego appreciates the extra roster flexibility of $400k GAM.
Kijima earned $71,401 in assured compensation in 2024 based on MLSPA.
