"We wanted to create a team that plays like musketeers—‘one for all, all for one’—rather than a bunch of overpaid stars that don’t get along" - Zoran Krneta

By Sebastian Quiroz-Gutierrez

Photo Courtesy of Charlotte FC

Charlotte FC General Manager Zoran Krneta addressed the media this morning, offering

insight into the club’s transfer dealings, roster philosophy, and long-term vision. With Charlotte

currently riding a seven-game winning streak and eyeing a top-four finish in the East, Krneta

struck a balance between celebrating recent success and laying out the hard decisions shaping the Crown’s future.

Photo Courtesy of CJ Hellner

Malanda’s Sale: Business Meets Ambition

The headline topic was Adilson Malanda’s transfer to Middlesbrough, a move that has stirred

plenty of conversation among supporters. Krneta admitted the club did not want to part ways

with its star center-back, but stressed that player sales are part of MLS’s reality.

“In an ideal world, we would never want to sell Malanda, but it’s not realistic,” he said. “This is a business where you’re buying and selling players. It’s inevitable.”

Malanda made clear his desire to test himself in Europe, and Charlotte ultimately accepted an

offer they felt struck the right balance: financially attractive, but crucially allowing them to retain him through the end of 2025. Krneta revealed they had turned down bigger bids, noting Middlesbrough’s ambition and size as factors that appealed to both player and club.

“It made sense to the both of us,” Krneta explained. “Middlesbrough is a club with aspirations to go to the Premier League and stay in the Premier League; it's a big club, one of the biggest in the Championship.”

It also did not hurt that Krneta already had strong relationships with Middlesbrough’s leadership, dating back to his time as an agent and Charlotte’s previous sale of Riley McGree.

Transfers In and Out: A Busy Summer

On the incoming side, Krneta expressed satisfaction. “Incoming wise, we did everything we

wanted, more or less.” He confirmed that Charlotte had turned down significant offers for two

other players, emphasizing the club’s commitment to results.

That resolve was underscored with a definitive line on breakout star Idan Toklomati:

“Toklomati is not for sale. It wasn’t Toklomati, it wasn’t even discussed, and it will not be discussed for the foreseeable future. It would take an MLS-record sale to move Toklomati, and even then, it will not be now.”

Photo Courtesy of Charlotte FC

Investing in Youth: Goodwin, Aloko, Coulibaly

Funds from sales are being reinvested in young talent. Charlotte brought in Australian striker

Archie Goodwin and Benin international Rodolfo Aloko, signed via the “Crown Legacy mechanism”. Krneta also confirmed that Baye Coulibaly will move up from Crown Legacy to the first team, with paperwork nearly finalized.

“We use Crown Legacy as a catalyst for the first team,” Krneta said. “Some of these guys aren’t really Crown Legacy players—they’re first-team players that will eventually, once they're ready, be moved into the first team from Crown Legacy.”

Injury Concerns: Toffolo’s Setback

Charlotte’s winning streak has continued despite a series of hamstring injuries, the most recent affecting summer signing Harry Toffolo. Sporting director Zoran Krneta admitted he is concerned:

“We don’t know yet the extent of the injury. I hope it’s not as serious as Pep Biel or Doumbia.”

Toffolo’s last competitive match before arriving in Charlotte was back in May, and Krneta suggested the club may have rushed his return.

“Maybe we pushed him a little bit too early, or he wanted to play too early, another lesson to be learned.”

Goalkeeper Competition: Callender’s Arrival

Another major addition is U.S. international Drake Callender, acquired to deepen Charlotte’s

goalkeeping pool. Krneta emphasized the move was not about replacing Kristijan Kahlina, but

about creating healthy competition.

“We wanted a goalkeeper who can challenge and push Kahlina,” he said. “We think Drake is a

very talented, very good goalkeeper. He’s still not fully fit; he has some injury that is not a concern, it will be gone in a couple of weeks.”

Krneta praised Kahlina’s brilliance last season but pointed to his past injury layoff as a reminder of why depth is critical.

“It’s all about planning for the next season and beyond. The goalkeeper position is incredibly important in a team.”

Roster Philosophy: Balance Over Stars

Krneta spoke at length about Charlotte’s Designated Player and U22 strategy. The club currently has two DPs (Zaha and Abada) and four U22 slots filled (Kerwin Vargas, Nikola Petkovic, and Idan Toklomati), with Baye Coulibaly in the process of being incorporated into the first team from Crown Legacy. Krneta hinted that this structure might change next season but cautioned against chasing star names at the expense of team cohesion.

“We wanted to create a team that plays like musketeers—‘one for all, all for one’—rather than a bunch of overpaid stars that don’t get along,” he said. He praised the squad’s camaraderie, pointing to off-field chemistry as a key factor behind their current run.

On Liel Abada, who has seen his starting role challenged by Kerwin Vargas, Krneta was

measured.

“Abada didn’t do anything wrong. Every time he comes on, he does well. Kerwin is

doing really well; he's scoring goals, but not only scoring goals, he's doing everything else, he's defending, and he's becoming a vital part of this team. I think it's again, competition.”

Looking Ahead: Zoran and the Club’s Future

Beyond the immediate, Krneta emphasized Charlotte FC’s long-term vision. When asked about his future with the club and a potential contract renegotiation, he confirmed that discussions with ownership are focused on a three-to-five-year strategy, highlighting both competitive goals and community engagement. However, he did not commit to sharing much about his own future at Charlotte FC.

“I like Charlotte, my wife and I are settled here. We feel this is our club as much as anyone’s... It’s not all about me—it’s about where the club is going, what direction it’s going to take. What we want to do in terms of supporting the fans, building the fanbase even more than we've done so far, bringing closer the whole Charlotte community, and then also building this club to be even better and greater.”

“We’ve done a good job, but we can do more, and there is more to come.”

Charlotte’s seven-game winning streak has provided momentum on the field. Off it, Krneta’s

words made clear that the club’s ambition is bigger than just this season: build sustainably, sell smartly, invest in youth, and keep pushing the ceiling higher.