Charlotte FC's remaining roster decisions for 2024

By Brian Maurer

Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90

Charlotte FC signed Kerwin Vargas, Andrew Privett, and Adilson Malanda to new contracts. Those deals have locked up three young starters all currently 23 or younger. While the club has shored up their backline and one of their wings, there are still several other decisions that will need to be made by the end of the year.

Here is a look at the other Charlotte players whose contracts expire at the end of the year:

Ben Bender

Bender returned from the surgery he had near the end of last year but has struggled to find regular minutes. His potential in MLS is good and he has some decent goal contribution numbers to back him up so he will likely be given another year with his 2025 option. The young midfielder is one of only six players left from Charlotte's inaugural preseason roster.

If not he will surely find another MLS club willing to take a shot on the former First Round Draft Pick.

Nathan Byrne

Byrne has been locked in as the starting right-back all year. Unless something drastic changes the club will likely at the very least exercise its 2025 option. He is a TAM-level player so a new deal might not be in the cards depending on how the negotiations pan out.

Kristijan Kahlina

Kahlina has been Charlotte's starting goalkeeper from day one. 2024 has been his best in the Carolinas. This makes one think that he will likely earn a new contract. He does have an option season for 2025, but he should have plenty more in the tank so signing an extension seems more than possible.

When asked if he was interested in continuing his career in North Carolina the Croatian made it sound like he was open to that possibility.

Jaylin Lindsey

Lindsey's career in Charlotte has been trending in the wrong direction since he signed his new deal in 2022. He has only been able to crack the starting lineup in a couple of spot starts and for a young player with a couple years before his prime getting minutes is going to be paramount. If he can't get those minutes in the Carolinas there could be a chance that there is a mutual separation between player and club.

The Charlotte native does have an option for 2025 so he could be given another year to try and win that spot back from Byrne. The risk is he could also end up getting buried further down the depth chart if Nick Scardina continues his progression to the First Team in 2025.

Júnior Urso

Urso was a preseason add who helped fill in as depth early in the season when the club was dealing with several injuries. Since then the Brazilian has been dealing with his own injury ailments. The club will likely move on from Urso, this has been the pattern of the club with several past veterans they have picked up. He does have an option for 2025, but that does not seem to be a likely direction where things stand.

Ashley Westwood

Westwood is going to be the exception to that pattern explained in the Urso section. Westwood is the leader of this group, and has shown the ability to play hard for a full 90 every single week. He will most likely earn his option year and could negotiate a new contract. Based on how involved he is around the city and the club off the field it seems like he is planting roots in Charlotte, which means there could be a decent chance he finishes his career in the Carolinas.

Patrick Agyemang

Agyemang is one of Charlotte's most exciting prospects. He is closing in on double-digit goal contributions this season, which would make him only the second player to do this in Charlotte FC history. He seems in line for an extension or at the very least an additional season via his option year.

Brandon Cambridge

Cambridge has had a difficult second season in Charlotte. He suffered an injury in preseason that has kept him out of the First Team for the entire year so far. He has started to get reps with Crown Legacy. The club could easily still agree to one of his two option years to give him another chance to get to full health and compete in year three. This would be a low risk move to keep Cambridge signed on the supplemental roster.

Hamady Diop

Diop's situation is tricky. He has not panned out as a Generation Adidas pick and has been loaned to Serbia. He has multiple option years but it looks like the club may be getting close to being done waiting for him to hit the level they expected when they traded up to pick him first overall.

Jahlane Forbes

Forbes has been a regular for Crown Legacy this season. He will likely earn another option year to see how much progress he can make with the development team in year two. Scardina was in a similar situation to Forbes last year and it looks like it may be panning out for him.

George Marks

Marks might be finding himself as the odd man out. Chituru Odunze is under contract through 2026. Another young goalkeeper Nick Holliday will have a guaranteed First Team position in 2025. The goalkeeper room is filling up with other prospects, especially if Kahlina resigns.

It looks like Marks has an uphill battle to maintain his spot and earn an option year for 202.

Nicholas Scardina

Scardina has had a big year two. He has shown up as a top prospect with Crown Legacy this year, which earned him his First Team debut. It also helps that the SuperDraft pick looks capable of playing multiple positions. His versatility should make him an attractive option to earn at least an option year for 2025. He could be competing for the backup right-back spot in 2025.

Tyger Smalls

Smalls has earned some First Team minutes but has not made a significant impact yet. That being said, Charlotte has shown a willingness to sign young players for their option seasons. Expect to see Smalls earn at least one additional season and a supplemental roster spot.

Summary

Charlotte has started to complete some of their offseason work early, but there are several players with contract situations that are still up in the air. They will have to make decisions on three more starters and several other depth players and prospects.