Charlotte FC Preseason Position Battles: Who has the Biggest Fight to Keep Their Starting Job?

By Brian Maurer

Ashley Westwood (center) during Round 1 of the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2025 (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/Topbin90)

Charlotte FC's preseason kicks off today as they prepare for their 2026 season. The Crown will be aiming to make history for the club in one of the most highly anticipated years for MLS and American soccer as a whole. As preparations for the new season kick off, players will be coming in with a clean slate to make an impression and earn their minutes. That process starts now.

Some starting roles and minutes are more clearly defined on paper going into preseason, but other spots look to be up for grabs. Here is a look at the different positions and player competitions to watch as Charlotte's preseason training gets underway:

Center-back

Tim Ream's role at left center-back looks locked in heading into 2026, but the question will be the right center-back role in Dean Smith's back four. Currently, there are limited options on the roster, and the expectation is that Charlotte signs reinforcements to replace Adilson Malanda, who left this winter.

First up in the position battle is Andrew Privett, who should see this as an opportunity to try and get the minutes he lost last season. Homegrown signing Jack Neeley is the only other name currently at the position, but it will come down to who the Crown ends up signing this winter, which will shape the position battle at CB. For now, Privett will likely get first crack.

Center midfielders

There are two spots open in Smith's preferred double pivot setup he has used since arriving in Charlotte, and there appear to be five options for those two spots. Ashley Westwood and new signing Luca de la Torre will be the front-runners for early-season starts. However, Westwood's age and fitness will likely be under the microscope a bit more this year as his 2025 form dipped from his standout 2024 campaign. Brandt Bronico and Djibril Diani will both be looking to find their fit in the midfield, where they have finished each of the last two seasons as starters.

The fifth name to throw into the mix is U22 Initiative player Baye Coulibaly, who was called up to the senior roster during the Summer Transfer Window last season. Charlotte's midfield feels like the position that will be the most under scrutiny and where the competition for minutes will be most fierce, especially because there were several moments last season where the midfield struggled to win their battles and control games to get the results they needed.

Even if the early favorites, Westwood and de la Torre, start out of the gate, Bronico, Diani, and Coulibaly should all feel like the opportunity is there to earn a consistent starting spot. It almost seems silly at this point to say Bronico will have to earn his minutes back, as he has at least 2,000 minutes in all competitions each of Charlotte's first four seasons, but here we are again.

Diani will need to put in a serious shift this season as the pressure mounts with him being in a contract year. Coulibaly is the wildcard; it is definitely worth keeping a close tab on his progress and role through the preseason games.

Right winger

This is a really strange situation, as the two primary right-wingers in 2025 are both potentially on their way out if the right offer comes in for them. Liel Abada appears to clearly be shopping around, but Smith has also said he likes him, even if he wasn't playing him much down the stretch. The Crown has received offers for Kerwin Vargas, but so far, the right move hasn't come up yet.

If both wingers do not start the year in Charlotte, this position gets really switched up, but since they are still under contract and preparing for the season, we will start with them as the position competition battle. Vargas won the spot outright down the stretch and will be the front-runner heading into 2026. Abada's last start in Round 1 of the MLS Cup Playoffs last season left a lot to be desired, so he will need a big step up to try and earn minutes or starts over his Colombian teammate.

Another scenario, given the players currently available, is Pep Biel, who has also been used on the wing. Charlotte appears to have more options available in the midfield and fewer out wide, especially if Abada and/or Vargas are transferred. This leaves the option open for Biel to move out wide if the need arises.

Besides the midfield, the right wing is where a lot of focus will be during preseason, especially with the transfer rumors swirling.

Striker

Idan Toklomati brought a lot of excitement to Charlotte's starting lineup as he led the team in goals and looks locked in as the starter going into 2026. However, his Australian teammate Archie Goodwin is another young goalscorer who will be hungry to push for more minutes in 2026.

Both of these strikers are young, with a good likelihood of ups and downs occurring as they gain experience on the field. The competition between the two should be fun for fans as they push each other to reach new levels of production in the final third. While Toklomati's role and style of play are more defined and known by media and fans, Goodwin is one to watch, as this will be his first preseason with the Crown.