Nashville SC exercised the contract option on two defenders for the 2024 MLS season, but two key contributors to the team may have played their last game for the Boys in Gold.
The team announced Thursday it had exercised the option on Lukas MacNaughton and Josh Bauer.
Among the former Nashville SC players now without a contract are midfielder Dax McCarty; forwards Fafa Picault, Luke Haakenson and Ethan Zubak; and defender Nick DePuy. McCarty has played 466 career MLS games, spending the last four years in Nashville. Picault provided an offensive boost in 2023 with five goals and an assist in 27 games.
Those players are free to make deals with other teams beginning at noon on Dec. 13.
Clubs are free to engage available free agents starting at noon CT on Dec. 13.
Nashville also declined contract options on Kemy Amiche, Tyler Freeman, Ahmed Longmire, Nebiyou Perry and Laurence Wyke. Those players will be eligible for the league’s reentry draft.
MacNaughton, 28, played an important role after he was acquired in an April trade with Toronto FC, one that sent forward C.J. Sapong north of the border. The 6-1, 190-pound Belgium native helped fill the void left when Walker Zimmerman was injured or involved in international competition. He played 14 games for Nashville, starting 13, and helped the team allow the fewest goals (32) in the league.
Bauer, 25, played 10 games and started four, totaling 513 minutes in his second season with Nashville. He didn’t see any action during his first season with the club.
It remains to be seen whether the 36-year-old McCarty will choose to retire after 19 seasons, find a way to re-sign with Nashville or sign with a different team. He’s been on one-year contracts with the Boys in Gold for each of the past two seasons.
The 5-9, 150-pound McCarty, one of only three players in MLS history to have played more than 400 games, posted a goal and three assists in 27 games for Nashville last season. A former Nashville captain, McCarty has totaled 22 goals and 71 assists in 466 career MLS contests.
Nashville will return the bulk of its roster from last season, including 2023 MLS all-stars Hany Mukhtar and Walker Zimmerman.
Here’s the team’s 2024 roster as of Nov. 30:
Goalkeepers: Ben Martino, Elliot Panicco, Joe Willis
Defenders: Josh Bauer, Daniel Lovitz, Lukas MacNaughton, Jack Maher, Shaq Moore, Taylor Washington, Walker Zimmerman
Midfielders: Tah Brian Anunga, Sean Davis, Aníbal Godoy, Randall Leal, Hany Mukhtar, Alex Muyl, Jacob Shaffelburg, Joey Skinner
Forwards: Teal Bunbury, Adem Sipić*, Sam Surridge
*Officially included Jan. 1, 2024
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