The Houston Dynamo have announced a number of roster moves as the club begins preparations for the 2018 season.
The club picked up contract options on seven players for the 2018 season – DF Kevin Garcia, DF Leonardo, DF George Malki, MF Charlie Ward, MF Memo Rodriguez, DF Philippe Senderos and FW Andrew Wenger.
The club declined contract options on 11 players – DF Jalil Anibaba, GK Calle Brown, MF Ricardo Clark, DF A.J. DeLaGarza, GK Tyler Deric, MF JosĂ© Escalante, MF Boniek GarcĂa, MF Joe Holland, DF Taylor Hunter, MF Christian Lucatero and FW Vicente Sánchez.
Five players’ contracts expired following the conclusion of the 2017 season – MF Alex, MF Eric Alexander, DF DaMarcus Beasley, DF Dylan Remick and GK Joe Willis.
Finally, the loans for MF Juan David Cabezas (Deportivo Cali, Colombia) and FW Alberth Elis (CF Monterrey, Mexico) are set to expire on December 31. Houston has until that date to negotiate a full transfer or extend the loan for each player.
“We’d like to thank our group for their hard work on a successful 2017 season qualifying for the playoffs and ending the year as one of the final four teams in the league,” Dynamo Vice President and General Manager Matt Jordan said. “We are in ongoing discussions with several players from the 2017 roster as we prepare for 2018.”
Including the players whose contract options were picked up, players on loan and players to whom the club has made bona fide offers, the Dynamo now have 14 players under contract for the 2018 season.
HOUSTON DYNAMO PLAYERS CURRENTLY UNDER CONTRACT
| DEFENDERS (5) | |||||||
| No. | Player | Pos. | MLS Exp. | Age | Ht. | Wt. | FIFA Nationality |
| 3 | Adolfo Machado | DF | 1 | 31 | 6-0 | 160 | Panama |
| 4 | Philippe Senderos | DF | 1 | 32 | 6-2 | 181 | Switzerland |
| 16 | Kevin Garcia | DF | 1 | 26 | 6-0 | 185 | USA |
| 21 | George Malki | DF | 1 | 24 | 5-10 | 160 | USA |
| 22 | Leonardo | DF | 8 | 29 | 6-2 | 185 | Brazil |
| MIDFIELDERS (4) | |||||||
| No. | Player | Pos. | MLS Exp. | Age | Ht. | Wt. | FIFA Nationality |
| 5 | Juan David Cabezas | MF | 1 | 25 | 6-0 | 175 | Colombia |
| 18 | Memo Rodriguez | MF | 1 | 21 | 5-8 | 145 | USA |
| 25 | Tomás MartĂnez | MF | 1 | 22 | 5-9 | 145 | Argentina |
| 28 | Charlie Ward | MF | 1 | 22 | 5-8 | 168 | England |
| FORWARDS (5) | |||||||
| No. | Player | Pos. | MLS Exp. | Age | Ht. | Wt. | FIFA Nationality |
| 9 | Erick Torres | FW | 5 | 24 | 5-11 | 168 | Mexico |
| 11 | Andrew Wenger | MF | 6 | 26 | 6-0 | 185 | USA |
| 12 | Romell Quioto | FW | 1 | 25 | 5-11 | 170 | Honduras |
| 17 | Alberth Elis | FW | 1 | 20 | 6-0 | 165 | Honduras |
| 19 | Mauro Manotas | FW | 3 | 22 | 6-0 | 155 | Colombia |
* On loan from another club.
TRANSACTIONS: The Houston Dynamo picked up 2018 contract options on DF Kevin Garcia, DF Leonardo, DF George Malki, MF Charlie Ward, MF Memo Rodriguez, DF Philippe Senderos and FW Andrew Wenger. The club declined 2018 contract options on DF Jalil Anibaba, GK Calle Brown, MF Ricardo Clark, DF A.J. DeLaGarza, GK Tyler Deric, MF JosĂ© Escalante, MF Boniek GarcĂa, MF Joe Holland, DF Taylor Hunter, MF Christian Lucatero and FW Vicente Sánchez.
