Charlotte FC's position battles to watch in preseason
By Sam Vanolinda
Brandon Cambridge (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/Topbin90)
As we approach the beginning of the 2025 MLS season, Charlotte is buzzing with excitement after Wilfried Zaha's arrival.
There has never been this level of expectation for the team since it was formed. After finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference last year, the team will expect even better with the arrival of a superstar player and more time for Dean Smith to implement his philosophy.
Although many positions on the field are locked up, a few players will still be battling for spots on the field.
Let’s take a look at a few position battles for the 2025 Charlotte FC season:
Backup right-winger
Zaha will play on the left, and Liel Abada will play mostly on the right. Who will come on when these players are tired and the team needs a boost?
The most prevalent name is Kerwin Vargas, a great option off the bench. Vargas has the talent to destroy fullbacks, especially later in the game when they have low energy.
Another player battling for backup on the right is Brandon Cambridge, who is still only 22 years old and has plenty of potential. He dealt with a bad injury last year, but when healthy could contest Vargas for the backup spot on the right-hand side.
On the left side, Zaha will likely have Iuri Tavares cover for him but watch out for star-in-the-making Nimfasha Berchimas.
Attacking midfield
Pep Biel is too talented to not start games. Expect him to be transitioned into an attacking midfield role even though he was often on the wing last season.
Who else could fill that crucial position? Their new signing from the Portland Timbers, Eryk Williamson, may play that role. He is a talented ball-progresser who could fill in especially if Smith opts for more of a “dual 8” setup rather than an outright 10.
Fan favorite Ben Bender is a guy who has faded into obscurity recently because of injuries and signings but he also could prove himself if he gets a chance to come in as an attacking midfielder, another name to watch is Nikola Petkovic; a youngster who could break through, he showed good moments in 2024.
Center midfield
Captain Ashley Westwood was an absolute engine last year, traveling more distance in matches than any player on the team.
He will take up one of the holding midfield positions; the man who will accompany him in that role will be up for debate.
The two candidates with the highest chance are Brandt Bronico and Djibril Diani. For a while last year it seemed like Diani had the role on lock, but Bronico built up a ton of momentum towards the end of the campaign.
Smith fell in love with the effort that Bronico puts into every game. So it's not easy to bet against him starting, but Diani will rotate in and out depending on his form. Williamson is another name to watch if he cannot beat out Biel for a spot higher up the field, Smith may opt for him to play in a deeper-lying role to add another ball progressor in midfield.
Backup right-back
Veteran presence Nathan Byrne will be the starting right back, but behind him, the team does not have a ton of experienced depth. One name to watch is Crown Legacy FC standout Nick Scardina who is getting a lot of reps so far in preseason games.
Smith could also opt to pull Diani down into a center-back role and move Andrew Privett and Adilson Malanda over to fill in on the right side. To win the backup right-back spot, Scardina needs to earn Smith’s trust so he doesn’t feel the need to move his starters out of position.
Backup left-back
Charlotte FC’s backup left-back spot was locked in until the announcement that Joao Pedro was being sent out on loan. Now the two names behind Tim Ream on the left are 2024 SuperDraft pick Jahlene Forbes and 2025 SuperDraft pick Mikah Thomas. Neither have much professional experience.
Unless Forbes or Thomas can pull something special during preseason and the start of the year, a new left-back signing could be in the works as there is a real lack of experience on the left without Pedro in the mix.
