What the new MLS roster rules mean for Charlotte FC's summer transfer window

By Brian Maurer

Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90

Last Thursday, the secondary transfer window opened. Major League Soccer also announced new roster rules that took effect at the start of the transfer window.

All MLS rosters will now have six Prime roster spots. These roster spots can be utilized in two different models.

The Designated Player Model: Three Designated Players and three U-22 Initiative Players.

The U-22 Initiative Model: Two Designated Players, four U-22 Initiative Players, and an extra $2 million in General Allocation Money.

Clubs have to announce which model they are electing to use. This season, that decision has to be made by August 14, when the secondary transfer window closes.

MLS also made a new outgoing transfer rule where MLS clubs can convert extra money made from outgoing transfers into allocation money. Now outgoing transfer fees can be converted into $3 million in GAM. A major jump up from the previous sum which was just north of $1.2 million.

What does this mean for Charlotte FC?

At this point, based on the MLS club roster profiles, Charlotte FC could choose either model. They have two DPs (Liel Abada and Karol Świderski) and two U-22 Initiatives (Kerwin Vargas and Nikola Petković).

This means Charlotte will be able to sign either a DP and a U-22 Initiative or two U-22 Initiatives summer. The expectation, based on recent Dean Smith press conferences, is that the club is looking for a DP. This was before Świderski returned from loan, so their strategy could have changed.

Charlotte opened two senior roster spots when they transferred Scott Arfield and Enzo Copetti. They would not have to make any more outgoing transfers to add two more Prime status players to their roster.

When the Crown loaned Hamady Diop to FK Čukarički in Serbia, they opened an additional international roster spot which allows the club to use their two open senior roster spots on international status players.

Based on Charlotte's current roster, if they do not transfer out or release any more players then they can add three players (two senior, and one supplemental) to their roster. MLS Insider Tom Bogert stated this past week that the Crown is one of his top teams to watch in this summer window because of the roster spots they have available. Time will tell if they can get their moves across the line.