Minnesota United has started shaping its roster for its sophomore season, parting ways with nine players.
On Monday, Major League Soccer's first contract deadline day of the offseason, the clubs not still participating in the postseason had to reveal which players' contract options they would pick up or decline, as well as which players were out of contract.
Midfielders Bernardo Anor and Ish Jome, along with defenders Justin Davis, Thomas de Villardi, Joe Greenspan, Jermaine Taylor and Kevin Venegas, did not have their options picked up. Backup goalkeeper Patrick McLain was out of contract and didn't have an option.
"The key is to get better, and so sometimes you have to not bring back some good players, some players that helped you in the previous year, to create roster space and cap room to go out and bring in new players," United director of player personnel Amos Magee said. "We feel really good about the core that we're bringing back, and we're excited to work with this group and add some more pieces to this group to improve on this first year."
North American Soccer League holdovers Venegas, 28, and Davis, 29, both outside backs, struggled for playing time in the inaugural season, amassing just 14 matches between them. They were the club's first two MLS signings a year ago. Venegas played for the lower division side since 2012, Davis since 2011.
Jome, a 23-year-old utility player from Brooklyn Park, also played for United in the NASL in 2016 and appeared in 12 games, starting seven, this season.
Taylor played in 14 games with six starts as a versatile defender along the back line. While the 32-year-old had success with Jamaica in this summer's Gold Cup, he struggled to find consistent playing time with United.
Greenspan, 25, had four games with three starts this season, spending some time with the United Soccer League's Pittsburgh Riverhounds as well, and also endured three concussions that sidelined him for several weeks.