Real Salt Lake add FW Elias Manoel from Red Bulls and 4 SuperDraft picks
The club announced Friday before the annual MLS SuperDraft that it has acquired forward Elias Manoel from New York Red Bulls, along with 3 2025 draft picks and 1 in 2026.
Real Salt Lake is still building for next season, and beyond.
The club announced Friday before the annual MLS SuperDraft that it has acquired forward Elias Manoel from New York Red Bulls, along with three natural 2025 picks in the draft as well as the Eastern Conference champions’ natural second-round pick in the 2026 draft.
The Red Bulls will also receive $550,000 in general allocation money in 2025 and another $150,000 in GAM in 2026, while also retaining 10% of future sell-on fees for the 23-year-old Brazilian striker.
Manoel spent two seasons in New York, most recently scoring eight goals with four assists in 33 appearances for the Red Bulls. He also had 13 goals and 10 assists a year ago in 2023, including recording the franchise’s first hat trick in postseason play in a 5-2 win over Charlotte FC during the MLS Cup Playoffs.
“Adding a dynamic striker in Elias to our roster is promising,” said RSL chief soccer officer Kurt Schmid in a statement. “As we prepare for multiple competitions and a gauntlet of games in the early-season schedule, we believe Elias will hit the ground running in our setup. He knows the League, he works hard on both sides of the ball and we are excited to welcome him to Utah for the 2025 season.”
Manoel is the second offseason addition for Real Salt Lake, who also added former Atlanta United winger Tyler Wolff during the league’s half-day trade window. Atlanta received $50,000 in general allocation money in 2026 in exchange for Wolff, who is under contract through the 2026 season with options for 2027 and 2028.
The native of Campinas, São Paulo, was the top scorer in the 2022 Campeonato Gaucho, registering five goals in 11 matches to lead Gremio to the 2022 title. The Gremio academy product spent his entire career, beginning at 16, with the club until he joined MLS during the summer transfer window in 2022.
Current roster (30)
Goalkeepers (2): Gavin Beavers, Zac MacMath
Defenders (10): Andrew Brody, Javain Brown, Justen Glad, Bode Hidalgo, Alex Katranis, Kevon Lambert, Philip Quinton, Luis Rivera, Tommy Silva, Brayan Vera
Midfielders (10): Noel Caliskan, Matt Crooks, Emeka Eneli, Diogo Gonçalves, Diego Luna, Luca Moisa, Braian Ojeda, Nelson Palacio, Pablo Ruiz, Jude Wellings
Forwards (8): Chicho Arango, Matthew Bell, Lachlan Brook, Anderson Julio, Axel Kei, Dominik Marczuk, Tyler Wolff, Elias Manoel
Elias Manoel
Position: Forward
Hometown: Itapevi, Brazil
College: n/a
Date of Birth: 30 November 2001 (23)
Nationality: Brazilian
How Acquired: Signed via trade from New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
TRANSACTION: Real Salt Lake acquires FW Elias Manoel from the New York Red Bulls, as well as four MLS SuperDraft picks (natural NYRB picks in each of three rounds in the 2025 draft, plus the natural NY second-round pick in the 2026 draft) in exchange for $700,000 in General Allocation Money. New York receives a guaranteed $550,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) and another $150,000 in 2026 GAM, along with a 10% future sell-on.