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By Tyler Trent Yordy Reyna against Richmond in the Open Cup. Photo courtesy of Richard Hayes. Peruvian International Yordy Reyna will not partake in Charlotte FCs preseason plans as the club actively looks for ways to move the player on.The front office have made their desires clear to Yordy and they no longer want him part of the squad. Charlotte FC and Yordy Reyna are exploring options and potential moves with one source suggesting that a potential contract termination may not be out of the question. Reyna scored 4 goals and added 6 assists across MLS and the US Open Cup in Charlotte's inaugural season.In Reyna's case, his high salary of $797,500 combined with the required use of an international roster spot leave Charlotte with a difficult decision to make in regards to his future with the team. Reyna's large salary could potentially hinder the team in roster building and the team has higher expectations for a player on that fee.

By Jacob Sokol Gearing up for the 2023 MLS season, Charlotte FC players are reporting back to the club after the holiday break. In 2022, a plethora of lineup variations were attempted between two different head coaches. Many players have left the club, while several new faces have joined. As we all get ready for the first match of the season on February 25, let’s take a look at some of the position battles that head coach, Christian Lattanzio, will have to whittle down to a formidable starting lineup. Right Wing - Vargas/Gaines Kerwin Vargas left- photo courtesy of Kerwin Vargas Twitter account McKinze Gaines right- photo courtesy of McKinze Gaines Twitter account Kerwin Vargas and McKinze Gaines are both dynamic attacking options on the wing. Vargas brings more of a technical approach, taking players on with fancy footwork, while Gaines brings raw speed to the table. Vargas will dribble at a player, taking touch after touch before a quick burst leads to an open shot. Gaines does a lot of his best work off the ball, making runs in behind defenders that have no hope of keeping up. In 2022, Gaines managed 24 appearances in MLS, generating 1 goal and 4 assists. Vargas, who joined the team during the summer transfer window, had 13 appearances with no goals or assists. While these numbers seem insignificant, they don’t paint the whole picture. Gaines played a total of 1,068 minutes as only 11 of his 24 appearances were as a starter. In that time, Gaines provided an average of 5 crosses every 90 minutes, 1 assist every 270 minutes, and 54% of his shots were on target. If Gaines kept the same form and managed to play as much time as Designated Player, Karol Swiderski, he could have 9 assists on the season. That would put him in the top 10 assist leaders in the league. A couple areas where Vargas holds similarities with Gaines is productivity with crossing, providing 6.82 every 90 minutes, and shots on target at 47%. Another element Vargas brings to the table is his ability to provide a corner kick. Unfortunately Vargas wasn’t a part of any goal scoring opportunities in 2022, though he came close on several occasions. When it comes to the starting lineup for Charlotte FC’s home opener, Gaines has the slight edge to start. With more experience under his belt, more time on the team, and more goals created, Gaines appears to be the stronger option on paper. At the end of the day the game is played on grass or turf, and whichever player finds himself on the bench will provide great depth as a substitute. Malanda/Corujo Adilson Malanda left- Photo courtesy of Kevin young of the 5 and 2 project Guzmán Corujo right- Photo courtesy of 90min.com After Guzmán Corujo suffered a season ending ACL injury, Charlotte FC needed to find a replacement fast. That replacement came in the form of Ligue 2 regular, Adilson Malanda. Playing out the last 6 matches of the season, Malanda provided a steady presence in the back line. Now with Corujo on the mend, the question is- will he earn back his starting position? Corujo, when healthy, was one of the better center backs in MLS. He was in the 96th percentile for tackles won in the defensive 3rd, 90th percentile for dribbles contested, and 84th percentile for blocks among MLS defenders. Malanda plays a different game. The amount of tackles and blocks made per game are some of the worst in the league, but the score line wasn’t any worse because of it. Malanda likes to control the game, having the potential to be one of the best passing defenders in the league. In the 6 games he played, Malanda completed 87% of his passes, with a rate above 93% for both short and medium passes. Malanda also doesn’t seem to make errors with the ball at his feet. He didn’t have a single miscontrol or was dispossessed in any of the games he played in. He might take the ball half as much as Corujo, but he retains it with much more success. To start the season, because of fitness, expect to see Malanda in the starting lineup. As the season progresses it is hard to believe that Corujo won’t have a pivotal part to play though. It is even possible that we could see these two playing side by side by the time the season ends. Midfield - Bronico/Santos/Jones/Westwood Ashley Westwood top left-photo courtesy of Daily Mail Nuno Santos top right- photo courtesy of Charlotte FC Brandt Bronico bottom left-photo courtesy of MLS Soccer Derrick Jones bottom right- photo courtesy of Sandiegouniontribune.com The center of the pitch will be the most contested area in Charlotte FC's lineup. With the new addition of Ashley Westwood, Charlotte now has four talented players to fill two positions. Individual player skill is always the main factor, but how two of these four players pair together could be just as important. Derrick Jones and Ashley Westwood are clearly defensive midfielders. Jones provides a large presence that is incredibly difficult to get past. He’s among the best in the league at tackles in the defensive third and aerial duels won. His passing leaves something to be desired though, as he rarely progresses the ball down field. Westwood is almost the polar opposite of Jones. Defensively he doesn’t provide the imposing style of play that Jones does, but he is able to thread a lethal pass with precision. The former Burnley FC man was brought in to become a starter, so it is likely he will get the nod over Jones. It is also possible to imagine these two playing side by side to create a balanced duo. Versatility and consistency will be Brandt Bronico’s biggest strengths as he tries to remain in the starting lineup for 2023. Bronico, who played 34 games for Charlotte in 2022, is hard to imagine on the bench. He was the engine in the inaugural season, constantly playing passes and moving off the ball. With a balanced skill set between passing and defending, it is possible we will see Bronico at the defensive midfielder or central midfield position. With two defensive midfielders already in the mix, it is likely Bronico will go head to head with Nuno Santos for the central midfield position. Santos, who joined Charlotte late in 2022, only managed 4 appearances so far. In that time he has provided excellent play, even scoring a pivotal goal to keep playoff dreams alive a little longer. When it comes to service, Santos can produce short, medium, and long passes with great accuracy. Luckily he isn’t a defensive midfielder, because defense is the only questionable part of his game. As far as being a central midfielder, or attacking midfielder, Santos has all the right stuff. With 4 great players to fill two roles, it could come down to the best pairing instead of individual talent. Westwood and Santos would make an incredible duo for attacking purposes, but may leave gaps in defense. Westwood and Jones could provide some balance between passing and defending, but ultimately could be a little too defensive leaning. Bronico and Westwood is another potential pairing, while Bronico keeps the midfield churning, Westwood could open up play with a final pass. It is most likely that we see the pairing of Westwood and Santos, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the ever-working Bronico retains his starting position either. Players Rotating For Minutes Ben Bender top left - photo courtesy of Charlotte FC Jaylin Lindsey top right - photo courtesy of 90min.com Andre Shinyashiki bottom left - photo courtesy of MLS Soccer Vinicius Mello bottom right - photo courtesy of Vinicius Mello Twitter Head to head matchups aside, there are several players who are down on the depth charts but still are likely to receive playing time and have a regular role within the squad. Ben Bender is one of those players, producing 3 goals and 6 assists in 28 appearances. Bender, a young attacking midfielder, is likely to be third string behind Santos and Bronico. Being so young and full of potential, Lattanzio could utilize him as a second half sub. Andre Shinyashiki was an exciting player in 2022 for Charlotte. He was brought in after the start of the season from the Colorado Rapids and provided an immediate impact. Shinyashiki made his abilities off of the bench well known, scoring 6 times in just 835 minutes played. That makes him the most efficient scorer on the roster. Unfortunately when starting, Shinyashiki’s goals don’t convert as often. He does best coming off the bench, terrorizing tired defenses with fresh legs. A Charlotte native, Jaylin Lindsey, is also likely to receive minutes. With 18 starts and 26 appearances in 2022, Lindsey has proven himself as a valuable part of the right back depth chart. If an injury were to occur he could find himself in the starting line up. Many fans have been curious about the young Brazilian striker, Vinicius Mello. Mello suffered an injury that kept him out of the 2022 season. While Mello is yet to prove himself, Lattanzio will want to get him some minutes at some point to show his skills. If he manages a few solid appearances off the bench he could become a team regular. One thing is certain. Charlotte FC’s 2023 squad holds a great deal more talent than their inaugural season. In 2022, gaps needed to be filled and there were few players to do so. In 2023 Charlotte has managed to acquire solid depth in several positions and with the January transfer window in progress we could see even more talent added on. Having too much talent is a good problem to have. Sources: fbref.com

By Jacob Sokol Photo courtesy of Getty Images. Charlotte FC have been meticulously assembling a roster for their second season in MLS. Besides the addition of Enzo Copetti and several promising MLS Superdraft selections, Ashley Westwood from Burnley FC becomes the newest addition in Queen City. The English defensive midfielder is coming off a serious ankle injury he acquired in a draw against West Ham in April of 2022. Prior to this injury Westwood was a staple for Burnley, playing nearly every match for them since 2018. Westwood will be a potential starter for Charlotte FC, competing with Derrick Jones and Brandt Bronico for playing time. A long ball specialist, Westwood could also take corner kicks and other dead ball opportunities in the middle of the pitch. Beyond dead balls, Westwood is highly capable of the long ball in open play. Depending on fitness levels related to his ankle injury, we could see Westwood on the field when the first whistle blows on February 25th. Injury Status Photo courtesy of Reuters. On April 17, 2022, Ashley Westwood went into a 50-50 challenge against West Ham’s Nikola Vlasic. Westwood wouldn’t get back up, causing an 8 minute delay in action before being stretchered off with a severe ankle injury. By April 21st, Westwood had received surgery and released a message about the incident. His parting message read “To my teammates, I will be kicking that ball with every single one of you. I have had the honour to share the pitch with you for some years and I know the spirit, strength, and determination of the group. My surgery went very well and I can’t wait to be back on the pitch soon! #UTC”. Westwood, while still at Burnley this Fall, stated that he was hoping for an October 31st comeback. He had rejoined training sessions during the first week of October with no player contact, phasing in contact over the next couple weeks. His comeback ultimately never came under Vincent Kompany, but that could be summed up to Burnley’s success in the English Championship. Kompany recently took over Burnley after their relegation from the Premier League. With only 2 losses in 26 matches, it is understandable Kompany wouldn’t want to shake up a formidable lineup. While Westwood hasn’t received minutes since his injury, he has been in full training amongst players set for a return to the Premier League. There shouldn’t be too much doubt in his ability to strengthen Charlotte FC, even coming off this injury. Battle For The #6 Slot Images courtesy of fbref.com Experimentation was a big theme in Charlotte FC’s inaugural season. Świderski found his way from striker to a holding forward position. Malanda joined the squad in time to replace the injured Guzmán Corujo. Jordy Alcívar and Titi Ortiz left the squad after being regulars early in the season. Nuno Santos joined the squad late, adding another attacking option. The position that Westwood will battle for has been held by a player who has been Charlotte’s most consistent by far- Brandt Bronico. Bronico found himself constantly moving in 2022, playing over 50 passes a game with an 85% success rate. What Bronico was lacking were lethal passes. While he managed to move the ball around, he wasn’t playing passes into the final third and the penalty area. On the alternate end, Westwood excels at long balls and passes into dangerous areas. Defensively, Bronico had more success than Westwood, with nearly three times more tackles per game. It is important to note that the quality of play in the Premier League for Westwood could have a part in that though. The other option for defensive midfielder is Derrick Jones. The player Eric Krakauer often referred to as the Velvet Tank, had an even better defensive presence than Bronico, but his lethal passes were worse than both Bronico and Westwood. With Bronico and Jones having similar styles that would compliment Westwood, and Bronico having been the more consistent between him and Jones, a pairing between Bronico and Westwood would seem the most likely tactically. Bronico could continue to be an engine, receiving and distributing passes to keep the game flowing. Westwood on the other hand could slot the final pass when play opened up. Head Coach, Christian Lattanzio, should be happy with his options and newfound depth from bringing the Burnley man on board. Expectations Westwood should raise the floor, in terms of ability, in the defensive midfield. The signing establishes a new standard that will be expected from Charlotte FC’s midfield group, especially with his passing. Besides his play, style, and quality, Westwood should also bring a vocal leadership role on the field. This will be a role that is desperately needed after the team declined the option of former captain Christian Fuchs. Westwood reportedly has an aspiration to transition to coaching after his playing career. Having that sort of veteran influence and leadership on the field will be greatly beneficial on an otherwise very young team. Between Westwood’s leadership potential and providing new skill sets that Charlotte FC currently lacks, there will be multiple benefits to bringing the Burnley man on board. We can expect Westwood’s impact to come swiftly for Queen City. Sources: https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/ashley-westwood-injury-burnley-kompany-25197063.amp https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10740515/amp/Ashley-Westwood-confirms-successful-surgery-suffering-horror-ankle-injury.html https://fbref.com/en/players/bd4460b1/Brandt-Bronico

By Tyler Trent Jonathan Levi - Age 26 - Right Winger Jonathan Levi for Norrköping. Photo courtesy of IFK Norrköping. Jonathan Levi was born in Glumslöv, Sweden in 1996. He came up through his local side’s academy team Glumslövs FF before eventually moving to the Eskilsminne IF academy in 2013, where his older brother played professionally. Levi eventually progressed to the Eskilsminne senior team in 2015, but was unable to break into their first team and was loaned to HIF Akademi. Playing in the fourth tier of Sweden as a teenager, he quickly proved he was above that level scoring 7 goals in 8 appearances. Following his time in the fourth division, Levi climbed the pyramid of Sweden playing with Landskrona BoIS and Östers IF in the third tier in 2016 and 2017. Following his time there, Levi decided to take his career to Norway and signed with most successful team in Norwegian history, Rosenborg BK. Levi’s time at Rosenborg saw limited time during the second half of the 2017 season, but had a solid season in 2018 making 19 appearances and scoring 4 goals with 2 assists. However, for the next season Levi was loaned back to Sweden with IF Elfsborg in the league’s top division, Allsvenskan. Levi had another strong season in 2019 for Elfsborg scoring 5 goals and adding 4 assists in 21 appearances. Off the success of two successful seasons, Levi caught the interest of Allsvenskan side IFK Norrköping where he has played since 2020. In his 3 seasons with Norrköping, Levi has scored 17 goals and provided 18 assists playing primarily as a right winger. In his first two seasons, Norrköping was a midtable club finishing 6th and 7th in the league. In his most reason season, his team struggled more finishing in 12th place, two spots out of the relegation zone. However, Levi had his most successful season as a professional for a struggling side. Levi scored 6 goals and added 7 assists in 2022. Jonathan Levi is a player who provides a lot of attacking capability while being a capable defender as well. Levi was one of the best wingers in Sweden last year always with an eye to play the ball forward into dangerous positions. A left-footed right winger, Levi often looks to cut in and look for a key pass to a teammate or take a shot. Last season, his cross-completion percentage was quite low likely due to a weaker right foot playing on the right wing. However, after cutting inside, Levi was one of the most creative wingers in the league often making very strong goalscoring opportunities for his teammates. Standing around 6’1”, Levi is also capable of getting onto crosses in the box with his larger frame. The below radar shows Levi last season compared to 32 other wingers in Allsvenskan. Levi was able to put up impressive stats for a struggling team throughout the season. If he was to come to Charlotte, he would come in as a right wing player where Charlotte likely has Kerwin Vargas and McKinzie Gaines for depth already. Vargas has played on the left as well, however, we will likely see him more on the right side. Bringing in another right winger could provide a boost to the team, however that could come at the cost of growth and playtime for Vargas. Additionally, Gaines continued to raise he level as this season progressed and turned into one of our most dangerous players as the season closed. Radar Courtesy of Ben Griffis. After Levi’s successful season, his value has increased to an estimated 2.7 million dollars. However, his contract with Norrköping only has one year left, so he could be on the move potentially. If Charlotte is to add a winger this season, Jonathan Levi could be a big difference maker, however, it is more likely for Charlotte to be interested in a left winger going into year two. Osame Sahraoui - Age 21 - Left Winger Osame Sahraoui drives the ball forward. Photo courtesy of Vålerenga. Osame Sahraoui was born in Oslo, Norway, in 2001 and grew up in the Hauketo IF academy before joining the Vålerenga academy in 2014. In 2020, he made his debut for Vålerenga in Norway’s top division, Eliteserien. In his debut season as a professional, Sahraoui appeared in 28 matches and scored 5 goals. Sahraoui was born in Norway, but is of Moroccan descent. He played for the U18 team of Morocco as a teenager, but has been playing with Norway’s U21 team since 2021. In Sahraoui’s second season, he scored 2 goals and added 3 assists as he began to round out his game and become more comfortable as professional. In his most recent season, Sahraoui scored 6 goals and provided 2 assists. With three strong seasons under his belt in Norway, multiple teams have him on the radar for a potential transfer and he is likely to move this Winter. Sahraoui is a very strong dribbler capable of taking players on by himself, however, he is also a strong passer of the ball as well. Sahraoui has always been smaller than the older players he has played with and has made up the difference with his technical ability and knowledge of the game. His pace, balance, and dribbling ability allows him to bypass more physical players easily and he always has the confidence to take a player on. In the most recent season, Sahraoui has improved in his physicality and defensive duties, but they are still his biggest weaknesses. Osame Sahraoui prefers to play as an inverted left winger or as an attacking midfielder. While he is right-footed, Sahraoui has shown his left foot is capable of playing accurate and key passes into the box. Sahraoui likes to receive the ball in the box and takes a lot of touches inside the box looking for quality opportunities while using his strong dribbling skills. While he doesn't take shots as often as other wingers in Norway, he waits for a quality look before taking a chance as shown by his high percentile rankings for npxG per shot (non-penalty expected goals). Radar courtesy of Ben Griffis. Off a strong season with interest outside of Norway, Sahraoui’s value has been estimated at 2.1 million dollars. His contract is set to expire in December 2023, however there have been reports of Belgian clubs looking to sign the promising young Norwegian as well. With only one year on his contract, Sahraoui is likely thinking about moving to a stronger league while his club will be looking to profit of the player before his contract expires and he becomes a free agent. Currently, Charlotte has Kamil Jóźwiak and Yordy Reyna as their primary left wingers. Reyna is likely to leave the club with reports suggesting Charlotte FC was looking to sell the player. Kamil Jóźwiak had a rough first season in Charlotte showing sparks of his talent, but overall, not meeting the standards of a designated player in MLS. Sahraoui could easily slide into the team as a U22 initiative player or young designated player capable of making a strong offensive output.

By Tyler Trent Ashley Westwood on the ball for Burnley. Photo courtesy of Imago Images. Charlotte FC are closing in on signing midfielder Ashley Westwood from Burnley FC Sources confirmed. The 32-year-old Westwood was injured in April 2022 with a severe ankle fracture. Westwood has appeared since that injury on April 17, 2022. This signing likely signals that Westwood is close to recovering and Charlotte believes he can significantly boost the midfield for year two. Westwood has been a regular premier league midfielder since 2012 with Aston Villa and Burnley. First to report Turfcast.

From December 9-12th, 2022, 44 of the most elite players NCAA soccer has to offer headed to Raleigh, North Carolina for the Adidas MLS college showcase. Freshman sensation, CJ Fodrey, is a likely candidate to be St. Louis SC’s first pick after earning PAC-12 freshman of the year. Charlotte FC fans should remember last year’s Superdraft well, as Ben Bender was selected first overall. Bender, who produced 3 goals and 6 assists in 2022, shows how valuable a good draft selection can be. The 2023 Superdraft, which is oddly taking place on Dec. 21, 2022, will be a different story for Charlotte FC than their first time around. With expansion teams getting first pick, Charlotte could choose anyone available during the 2022 Superdraft. With a year of hindsight it is easy to say that Bender was a worthwhile addition to the squad. In contrast, with the 20th pick for 2023, this year’s draft will be a smaller field to choose from. With the action happening on Wednesday via conference call, it is important to be prepared with a list of top prospects. From Clemson left back, Isiah Reid, to UNCG midfielder, JC Ngando, let’s take a look at the realistic selections Charlotte FC will have available to them to bolster an evolving squad. Moses mensah School- Campbell University Position- Left Back Year- Senior Image courtesy of gocamels.com The Left Back position is where Charlotte FC is most lacking. It is likely they will upgrade that position in the January transfer window, but it also makes sense to find depth for that position during the Superdraft. Mensah would be an excellent addition to Charlotte’s roster. With 13 assists across 73 games in his career, Mensah has shown his ability to get involved with the attack. He is the first player in Campbell University’s 60 year program history to be a 4 time All-Region honoree. His quick athletic ability will be a great asset if he found himself on the pitch in the Charlotte kit. There is a good chance the Campbell University left back will be available by the time Charlotte FC select. It will be up to the club to ultimately decide. Valentin Noel School- Pitt Position- Attacking Midfielder/Forward Year- Senior The former Chamois FC attacking midfielder is also versatile enough to play forward. With 11 goals in 21 games in 2022 for Pitt, 4 of which were game winners, it’s clear that Noel provides an attacking presence. While Charlotte does have a good deal of depth at the striker position, a lot of changes are still expected in the upcoming months. It wouldn’t hurt to have a player who could slot in at the #9 or #10 roles if needed to close out a match. Isiah Reid School- Clemson Position- Left Back Year- Senior Image courtesy of clemsontigers.com Isiah Reid is one of college soccer’s exceptional left backs, and his hometown happens to be Rock Hill, South Carolina. Not only would Reid be close to home, but he would be strengthening Charlotte FCs weakest position at the moment. While Reid is being viewed as a left back for professional purposes, he also found himself playing forward for Clemson. With 14 goals in his 4 year career, we could see Reid adding to Charlotte FC’s offense if selected 20th overall in the 2023 Superdraft. Daniel Wu School-Georgetown Position- Center Back Year- Senior Image courtesy of guhoyas.com Wu, who grew up in Cary, NC, could be coming home. The Georgetown center back was invited to the MLS College Showcase earlier this month, as one of the 44 most elite players in college soccer. He is familiar with big games, having scored in the 2019 national championship against UVA. Wu, who was voted BIG EAST preseason defensive player of the year, followed up the hype by earning First Team All-East Region honors. With Corujo still on the mend and a lack of depth in the center back position for Charlotte FC, Wu could be a perfect draft pick. He has shown his ability to stay fit and healthy, playing nearly every minute across his four year career at Georgetown. It is likely he will be available by the time Charlotte is up to pick. Depending who is left on the board, we could see Wu in the white and blue for the February 25th home opener. JC Ngando School- UNCG Position- Center Midfielder Year- Sophomore Ngando is a playmaker. 4 goals and 14 assists in 21 games shows he is capable of setting up goals. He was the SoCon Freshman of the Year in 2021. Playing at UNCG means he would be familiar with Charlotte. While it seems like a great fit, Ngando is likely to be a top 10 pick. Like others on this list, it might take a stroke of luck to have the Paris native available to Charlotte FC. Joey Skinner School- Clemson Position- Left Back Year- Sophomore Skinner, being a part of the Generation Adidas class, may be out of reach for Charlotte. If he does manage to stay available, he would be the ideal choice. Born in Charlotte, Skinner started his collegiate career at UNCG where he was an All-SoCon player. He then transferred to Clemson where he started every game for the Tigers in 2022. At the age of 19, Skinner is also one of the younger players in the draft. This is ideal for player growth. While it is likely that Charlotte FC pick up a left back during the January transfer window, Skinner could make an excellent back up. With injuries always being a possibility, it would be nice to have a player of Skinner’s caliber in the depth chart. Going into the draft, Charlotte FC will be keeping a couple things in mind. Strengthening depth in keys areas like left back is certainly important. With draft selections rarely turning into solid starters though, Charlotte FC could simply choose the best available player left on the board. Between Ngando, Wu, and Noel there’s a good chance one of these players will be available for selection. Only time will tell who is chosen to join Charlotte FC. The Draft starts Dec. 21st at 5pm and will be live-streamed on Twitter, Twitch, Youtube, and MLSSoccer.com.

By Tyler Trent Hamady Diop on the ball for Clemson. Photo courtesy of Clemson. Charlotte FC had traded $450,000 in GAM and their #20 pick to St Louis SC in order to move up to pick #1 in the 2023 SuperDraft. The $450,000 will be paid in two increments of $200,000 in 2023 and 2024 and another $50,000 possible in incentives. With that pick, Charlotte selected Senegalese centerback Hamady Diop from Clemson. Diop played for a strong Clemson team for three seasons anchoring their backline. He was projected to be one of the top available picks in the draft. Diop is a Generation Adidas (GA) player which means he will not count against the salary cap, like Ben Bender. This provides a huge boost to roster building strength. Diop was also a teammate to Charlotte FC goalkeeper George Marks at Clemson. Charlotte FC has traded a reported $200,000 GAM for an International Roster Spot from Nashville SC. Last season, Charlotte acquired two international roster spots from Nashville for a reported record of GAM (previously record was $225,000 - per Tom Bogert). So, this latest deal with the Tennessee club will be cheaper for Charlotte than the previous seasons deal.

By Tyler Trent Brandon Cambridge celebrates a goal for Portland. Photo courtesy of Portland Pilots. $50,000 GAM has been traded to Vancouver Whitecaps for winger Brandon Cambridge. Cambridge is a 20-year-old Canadian academy product of the Whitecaps who played college soccer for the Portland Pilots for the last 3 seasons. This deal takes place outside of today's MLS SuperDraft since Cambridge is a member of the Whitecaps academy. In his most recent season, he scored 12 goals, seven assists and 31 points on 50 shots before being eliminated by Pittsburgh in the NCAA tournament. He has also netted a team-best five game-winning goals. Cambridge is a US-born, Canadian raised player so he will not occupy an international roster spot. Cambridge is a strong winger capable of contributing heavily to the attack for his team.

By Brian Maurer Today Charlotte FC's schedule will be announced. They will play host to the New England Revolution on February 25th. In 2022 Charlotte won their first game ever against the Revolution. 2023 gives the Black and Blues the opportunity to get their first win of the season against the same team. The only notable move that New England has made so far this year compared to last is they signed former USMNT striker, Bobby Wood, through the Re-Entry draft. For week 2, Charlotte will get to play St. Louis City SC away. Charlotte are going to make MLS history by being the first regular season MLS opponent St. Louis welcomes to their new stadium. So far, St. Louis have targeted the Bundesliga as a primary source for roster building, although they have started to fill out other spots more recently through the expansion draft, free agency, and interleague trades. The loudest noise the club has made, so far, during their roster build has been the massive salary they offered to their keeper, Roman Bürki. This match should be a highly anticipated early season game as it is a clash of the two newest expansion clubs. Similar to the match between Charlotte FC and Austin FC last season. Charlotte FC's first games: Saturday, February 25th - Charlotte FC vs. New England Revolution Saturday, March 4th - St. Louis City SC vs. Charlotte FC

By Brian Maurer Photo courtesy of Stal Mielec Charlotte FC are reportedly signing 20 year-old David Poręba, to a loan deal for 2023 with an option to buy. Poręba was born in Chicago, IL and signed with Polish club, Stal Mielec, in 2021. He has made four appearances for Stal Mielec in all competitions as a defensive midfielder, one of those appearances was in the Ekstraklasa, Poland's first tier. In Charlotte FC he will be signed to an MLS NEXT Pro contract. This makes Poręba the first Charlotte FC MLS NEXT Pro signing in club history. He also becomes the fourth Polish player signed to Charlotte FC.

By Tyler Trent Kerwin Vargas prepared to dribble the ball. Photo courtesy of AP. Winger was a position Charlotte had very mixed performances with last season. While we have good players at the position, often times the team didn't click. Near the end of the season, our wing play significantly improved, however. With Yordy Reyna likely on the move, there is a possibility we see another winger brought in. Most likely a left winger where Reyna typically plays, but a right winger is a possibility too as most of our current wingers are capable of playing on either side. Right Winger Isaksen dribble the ball in a Europa League match against Lazio. Photo courtesy of Getty Images. Gustav Isaksen (FC Midtjylland – Age 21) is Dreyer’s teammate and an exciting prospect as well. He has scored 4 goals and provided 1 assist in 10 games this season. While Dreyer is a more proven talent on the right wing, Isaksen has a huge upside and is comfortable with both feet and on either wing. Isaksen’s current estimate transfer value is 4.8 million dollars which is likely out of Charlotte's range to spend on a winger this season after the reported incoming of Enzo Copetti. Jonathan Levi for Norrköping. Photo courtesy of IFK Norrköping. Jonathan Levi (IFK Norrköping – Age 26) has had a strong season in Sweden with 6 goals and 5 assists for a struggling side. Levi is a player capable of providing good cover defensively with a great offensive output as well. His strong left foot provides him many opportunities for shooting opportunities as left footed winger, but he still provides quality balls into the box. He also can have a strong presence in the box at 6’1” with a good jump. Currently valued at 2.7 million dollars, he would provide a great signing for Charlotte, but still may be priced more than Charlotte is looking to spend on a winger this season. Radar courtesy of Ben Griffis. Václav Černý for FC Twente. Photo courtesy of Profimedia.cz Václav Černý ( FC Twente – Age 24) is another left-footed right winger who has scored 4 goals in 7 games this season. Černý is a Czech Republic international who came up through the Ajax youth system. He hasn’t been a consistent starter for Twente this season, but has participated in 33% of their goals so far this season. At an estimated 2.7 million dollars, Černý provides another player that may be looking to get more minutes. Joel Mvuka drives the ball forward. Photo courtesy of Bodø/Glimt. Joel Mugisha Mvuka (Bodø/Glimt - Age 20) broke out for Bodø/Glimt this past season scoring 4 goals and providing 11 assists in all competitions. Mvuka is a pacey winger with skilled dribbling and an excellent passing range. Mvuka was also a regular contributor to his team's defensive efforts despite being one of the past attacking wingers in the league. Currently valued at 1.4 million dollars, Charlotte could invest in a high potential young player, however he only has one big season under his belt. Radar courtesy of Ben Griffis. Right Winger – Hidden Gem Kaprálik celebrates a goal. Photo courtesy of TASR. Adrian Kaprálik (MŠK Žilina – Age 20) is a Slovakian right winger who likes to dribble at opponents and use his speed and balance to glide past unexpecting opponents. Kaprálik has had three full seasons of professional football progressing with more starts each year in a youthful Žilina squad that make some noise early on in the inaugural Europa Conference League. Kaprálik would be a project winger, but has a high upside with a low estimated value of $453,000. Left Winger Alexi Pitu prepares to take a penalty. Photo courtesy of Sport Pictures. Alexi Pitu (Farul Constanța - Age 20) is a young German-born, Romanian left winger. This season for Romanian league leaders Farul, he has scored 5 goals and added 5 assists in his 18 appearances. Pitu is a right-footed player who usually plays on the left wing, however, he is capable of playing on the right and attacking midfield roles. His value is currently estimated at $950,000. Facundo Kruspzky celebrates a goal. Photo Courtesy of Arsenal. Facundo Kruspzky (Arsenal de Sarandí - Age 20) is a young Argentine who had a breakout season this year. Playing on the left side of a 4-4-2, Kruspzky was able to score 10 goals and provide 4 assists to his team in all competitions this year. Kruspzky is a strong dribbler capable of protecting possession with both his skills and his strength. Kruspzky is also a threat in the box for headed balls standing at nearly 6 feet tall. With an estimated value of 3.7 million dollars, he is on the high side of a potential transfer target for this season, but could be used a U-22 initiative player or young-designated player to reduce the hit on cap space. Radar courtesy of Ben Griffis. Osame Sahraoui drives the ball forward. Photo courtesy of Vålerenga. Osame Sahraoui (Vålerenga - Age 21) has been a regular contributor to his team's attack for the past three seasons. Capable of playing both wings and attacking midfield, he is a young player with a consistent record of quality play unlike some of the potential talent listed previously. This season he scored 6 goals and provided 5 assists in 29 games. Currently estimated at a value of 2.1 million dollars, he's a slightly cheaper option than some of the other prospects listed throughout this article. Radar courtesy of Ben Griffis. Dilane Bakwa scans the field ahead of him. Photo courtesy of Icon Sport. Dilane Bakwa (Girondins Bordeaux - Age 20) has been a a breakout start for Bordeaux this season. He finally got his chance to shine after Bordeaux was relegated to Ligue 2 and has made the most of it by scoring 3 goals and adding 2 assists in 14 appearances this season. Valued at 1.9 million dollars, he provides flexibility in position as he has appeared everywhere across the front three of a 4-3-3 this season with similar success at each position. Left Winger - Hidden Gem Andy Polar celebrates a goal with his teammates. Photo courtesy of Grupo El Comerico. Andy Polar (Deportivo Binacional - Age 25) has scored 5 goals and added 8 assists this season in Peru. Polar has been a regular contributor to his team since 2018. He is a very strong passer in the Peruvian league who also likes to dribble the ball forward and attacking players. Estimated at $505,000, Poler could be a great addition to the squad if he is able to adapt to MLS. Poler has received previous interest from clubs in Brazil, but decided to stay in Peru, but has recently saw interest from other Peruvian teams looking to sign him. Radar courtesy of Ben Griffis. All player values have been sourced from Transfermarkt – they are not representative of actual transfer fees that would be required to sign a player and, in many cases, will be lower than the actual value of the player. The transfer market is much more difficult than looking at players values. This article does not take into account player salaries and intangibles.

By Brian Maurer Karol Świderski. Photo courtesy of Charlotte FC. This is the fourth and final article in our offseason series. And this one could not have come at a better time, as it has been reported that Charlotte FC are signing striker Enzo Copetti from Racing Club in Argentina. Here is my analysis of Charlotte’s attackers, and my thoughts on how Copetti fits in this group. Charlotte FC’s Attacking Set Up Under current head coach, Christian Lattanzio, Charlotte FC almost exclusively used a 4-3-3 formation, although he did add a wrinkle to it by the end of the season when Charlotte was making their final playoff push. During the Black and Blues final games, Lattanzio added a fourth attacker to the formation. Instead of having Karol Świderski playing up top, Lattanzio had him play a little deeper and he brought Daniel Ríos in to play as the striker. This created more of a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-2-2-2 look depending on various situations. The 4-2-3-1 (four attackers) variation of the 4-3-3 is what I would expect Charlotte FC to continue to use in 2023. I have two reasons for this. First, it worked better than any other formation they used all of last season, including going on a four game unbeaten streak. Second, Charlotte FC’s current roster is more suited to this variation, and as Charlotte FC have reported that they are only planning to add a couple more key pieces to the team, this roster will look relatively similar to last year. Based on this four attacker setup, here is the current depth chart for Charlotte FC’s attacking line (including Copetti). I moved Andre Shinyashiki into the backup position for Świderski as he has experience playing in a role that is a little bit deeper. Lattanzio also reported that he wanted to play Shinyashiki more centrally last season. Based on how Lattanzio appears to prefer to set up his attack, Copetti and Ríos seem to be his preferred style of center forward over a playing style of Shinyashiki. Big Spending In The Attack With the signing of Copetti, Charlotte FC have now invested pretty significantly into the attack. They have spent well over $10 million in total transfer fees, six international roster spots, three DP spots, two U-22 initiative spots, and around $7 million in guaranteed annual salary* (I am assuming that Copetti’s contract will be a similar amount to Świderski). Total Spending Between All Four Lines While talking about the recent money spent on the attacking line it is worth also looking at how Charlotte FC are spending their money across all positional lines. Below is a table that splits up the guaranteed salary of Charlotte FC’s roster by positional line. Guaranteed Salary of Charlotte FC Roster by Position (found on MLSPA.com)* The table shows a significant amount of spending has been done on the attacking line. While there were many growing pains with the attack from Charlotte’s inaugural season, the investment in the attack has started to become significant. The expectations of this team producing goals should be high from fans based solely on the amount of investment that has been made. It should be pointed out that forwards cost more than any other position, but regardless, Charlotte FC have spent in the attack, strong scoring results should be expected in year two. The Final Five Games Since this appears to be a likely regular set up for this Charlotte FC squad moving forward, my analysis of the attackers will look at the final five games primarily to help derive what could be expected from this group going into 2023. In possession Lattanzio often had Charlotte FC set up in a 3-2-2-3. One of the fullbacks would often push up and move into a double pivot along the CDM. The two other CMs would push up higher behind the three attackers in the front. Out of possession Charlotte FC often set up in more of a 4-5-1 with Świderski dropping back to join the midfield line and Ríos staying up top for clearances and second balls. Derrick Jones would occasionally drop extremely deep to help cover the backline, sometimes joining them, creating more of a 5-4-1 or 4-1-4-1 look. Charlotte’s Wingers Charlotte FC’s wingers had a difficult time for much of the inaugural season. The team barely played with wingers at the beginning of the season, instead regularly opting to use a 4-4-2 diamond. As Kamil Jóźwiak got healthy, and when Shinyashiki was signed Charlotte switched to their preferred 4-3-3 (or 4-2-3-1) formation. Overall, the winger position had a limited amount of goal contributions (10 goals/10 assists** combined). This number is also a bit generous as several of these goals were scored by Shinyashiki when he came off the bench in a more central striker position. One reason for this lack of production is likely inconsistency. Jóźwiak was signed when he was still recovering from an injury. McKinze Gaines was working through some developmental growing pains as a player earning regular minutes. Yordy Reyna struggled to maintain his status as a starter, although he showed flashes of brilliance at times. Kerwin Vargas appeared to be going through an adjustment period as a young player transitioning to a new league and country. Finally, Shinyashiki showed an ability to find goals, but was also considered to be more of a center forward by Lattanzio. A more consistent group of players earning minutes and being fully adjusted to playing in Charlotte should help improve the results from the wings. Below is a deeper dive into how the wingers performed in the attack and defensively. In The Attack When in possession, Lattanzio kept all his wingers very wide. From these wide positions they could play balls into the box or take their defenders on 1 v 1. Overall, their positioning was designed to help keep defensive lines stretched out the full length of the pitch. Below is a demonstration of the width with which the wingers consistently played. Jóźwiak's 2022 heatmap (found on SofaScore) Gaines' 2022 heatmap (found on SofaScore) Shinyashiki's 2022 heatmap (found on SofaScore) Vargas' 2022 heatmap (found on SofaScore) Reyna's 2022 heatmap (found on SofaScore) The greatest exception to this standard is Shinyashiki. His heatmap shows a more mixed positioning in the attacking third because he was also used as a center forward as a substitute, or would be rotated into a center forward position during games. Winger Advanced Analytics (all stats are per 90 and are percentile rankings compared to other MLS wingers with at least 601 minutes played during the 2022 season)*** Vargas' creativity statistics especially pop out amongst the Charlotte FC wingers, however minutes played was also the smallest. His progression into year two is definitely worth keeping an eye on. Perhaps he can become one of the regular goal contributors on the wings that Charlotte was missing this past season. In Defensive Support Defensively, Charlotte FC’s wingers looked to help the fullbacks on the wings by reducing the amount of 1 v 1 situations that the fullbacks often had to deal with. When Charlotte FC’s wingers were committed defensively their opposition had a much harder time creating numerical advantages and mismatches. Here is how Charlotte’s wingers looked in a few different defensive categories compared to the rest of MLS Winger Advanced Analytics (all stats are per 90 and are percentile rankings compared to other MLS wingers with at least 601 minutes played during the 2022 season)*** These statistics are not a complete indicator of how all the wingers performed but it does provide some idea on how active different wingers were out of possession. In 2023, Lattanzio will likely focus on finding more consistency from his wingers and pick those who are capable of providing more goal contributions in possession and are defensively active and supportive of their fullbacks out of possession. Charlotte’s Strikers The striker position for Charlotte FC, like the wingers, has been inconsistent. However, the highs of this group have been tremendous, and the potential of what this group can be has been seen. The question will be whether the consistency can be raised, especially when it comes to goal scoring. Increasing consistent goalscoring from the striker position is why a move for Copetti was made. In The Attack The way Charlotte’s strikers played changed throughout the course of the season under Lattanzio. At first Świderski played as the striker. However, when he was the only striker on the field Charlotte was left with their most technically gifted player trying to be both in the box to receive scoring chances, and be the player linking up play with his technical ability. When Lattanzio made a late season adjustment to bring Daniel Ríos in as the striker up top and shifted Świderski into a deeper attacking role Charlotte’s attack started to show a bit more fire power. This tactical shift allowed Świderski to freely move around the field getting himself involved in possession and being creative, while also maintaining a scoring threat in and around the box. Striker Advanced Analytics ((all stats are per 90 and are percentile rankings compared to other MLS strikers with at least 1502 minutes played during the 2022 season)*** One of the major issues from the above statistics is that neither of Charlotte’s primary strikers last season got a lot of touches in the penalty box. When a team's primary scoring threat is getting limited touches in the most dangerous area on the field it is difficult to count on regular scoring production. This is likely something that will be a focal point heading into 2023. This could also be a problem that Copetti can help solve as he was capable of getting lots of touches in the box last season for Racing Club. In Defensive Support In Charlotte’s system this past season the striker position was regularly involved in aerial duels for second balls as well as being involved in pressing actions. These actions are shown through total defensive actions and through another advanced stat called tackles and interceptions possession adjusted (pAdj). Essentially this stat helps show how good a player is at a defensive action even if their overall stats are lower because of their team having an increased amount of possession, meaning they have less opportunities to make defensive actions. Striker Advanced Analytics ((all stats are per 90 and are percentile rankings compared to other MLS strikers with at least 1502 minutes played during the 2022 season)*** Again, similar to wingers, these stats do not flat out prove how successful, or otherwise, Świderski and Ríos are at defending, but it does provide some context as to how active they are out of possession. The one alarming stat that sticks out is how relatively average at aerial duels both of them were this past year. The Enzo Copetti Addition Based on a few of the underlying advanced statistics for Charlotte’s striker position in 2022, Enzo Copetti seems to be an ideal candidate to fill a few voids. First, Copetti was exceptional in aerial duels this past season. He showed an ability to win the ball in the middle of the park to hold up play and link up with teammates to help his team advance up the field. He also showed an ability to position himself well in the box and to win crosses and turn those aerial battles into shots and goals. Second, Copetti had a knack for getting lots of touches in the box this past season. Something that both of Charlotte’s primary strikers really struggled to do. Copetti showed an ability to find ways to get open in tight spaces in the penalty area (something that was also helped by his dominance in aerial duels) and to turn those touches into goals. Finally, Copetti was a very effective scorer in 2022. Converting shots into goals was another issue that Charlotte struggled with at times from the striker position. This is partly due to Świderski's style of play. He had a tendency to drop a bit deeper and also take more longer range shots, which have a lower rate of success because of their difficulty. Copetti, on the other hand, was very effective with his shot selection as his range was far closer to goal, helping him convert a far greater percentage of his chances. Final Thoughts Charlotte FC’s attack had several highs and lows, as did much of the team. Again, as stated in earlier sections of this series, this is not unexpected from an inaugural season. The attack lacked consistency for several reasons. Multiple players had inconsistent seasons due to injuries and fitness (Jóźwiak, Reyna and Świderski). Some also struggled earlier in the season and started to find their form late in the season (Gaines, Vargas, Ríos and also Jóźwiak). With Lattanzio coaching this squad on a permanent basis, and also providing the team with offseason and preseason preparations there should be more consistency from this group. It also helps that the team seems to have found a preferred formation that fits the team’s personnel and style. Adding another DP signing whose style of play on paper appears to mesh well with the needs of the team should add a boost. I do think there could be one departure from this attacking group. Reyna stands out as a bit of an outlier. He, like several others, was rather inconsistent during Charlotte FC’s inaugural campaign. His salary is high compared to other players on the roster (his guaranteed compensation is $797,500). He also takes up a valuable international roster spot. I could see Charlotte FC looking for a transfer option for Reyna to help free up some of those resources to allocate towards another position. In my mind the midfield is in need of a signing or two. $800,000 in salary space and an international roster spot would be ideal resources to make a midfield upgrade without making a huge dent in Charlotte’s forward line depth. I also would not be surprised if Charlotte FC went after another winger to try and provide a bit more competition amongst this group of wingers. The issues Charlotte ran into with the winger position was finding one who was capable of providing more end product in the attack while also being willing to work defensively. Adding another winger can help provide that competition to either increase the production from the wingers currently on the roster, or the new addition at winger can take hold of a starting spot and provide the on field production that Charlotte was lacking this past season. *The information of Copetti’s salary is not yet known. Neither is Nimfasha Berchimas’ contract. To try and provide an estimate of the salary breakdown I calculated Copetti’s salary at 2,000,000 which is similar to Świderski. For Berchimas I calculated his salary as the same as Brian Romero’s (76,333). Both of these numbers could easily not be 100% accurate, but should still be able to provide an accurate overall scope of how Charlotte FC has invested their yearly salary budget. **Goal contribution stats found on FBref.com ***Percentile ranking stats found on Ben Griffis’ app the data he used was from Wyscout. His Twitter handle is @BeGriffis and his app is well worth playing with, definitely check it out.