RSL declines option on MF Damir Kreilach, but The Captain isn't gone yet
RSL declines option on MF Damir Kreilach, but The Captain isn't gone yet
Real Salt Lake declined options on Kreilach and homegrown Julio Benitez on Friday morning, adding that Scott Caldwell and Danny Musovski are out-of-contract following the 2023 season.
Don’t worry; Damir Kreilach isn’t on his way out of the club. At least, not yet.
Kreilach and homegrown midfielder Julio Benitez were the only players whose club options for 2024 were declined, the team announced Friday, though Salt Lake remains in active discussions with the Croatian international.
Benitez, 18, made 14 appearances with Real Monarchs from 2021-2022 before spending the bulk of the 2023 season on loan with former Monarchs goalkeeper coach Matt Glaeser and Forward Madison FC in the USL Championship.
“Julio is a young, exciting player who’s hungry to improve his game and prove himself,” Glaeser said of the teenage midfielder.
Kreilach, 34, scored four goals with one assist in 27 appearances in 2023 for Real Salt Lake, including 15 starts. The midfielder joined RSL in 2018 from German side Union Berlin, and immediately scored 12 goals with eight assists.
The versatile midfielder/forward has 47 goals and 24 assists in six seasons in Salt Lake City, but has seen his starters’ minutes limited since suffering a back injury in 2022 and missing all but five games due to surgery. He held a Designated Player roster spot for most of his time with RSL, as noted when he signed a two-year extension last February, and that is likely a significant piece of the club’s discussions with the talisman.
“You know how much RSL means to me, how many great memories I have with RSL,” Kreilach said this past week. “From day one, I was welcomed here and have had the fans on myself. I’ve made unbelievable connections. I think I want to stay here, and to give my best to help my team on and off the field. RSL has always been my first choice, and I played the best season of my career in 2021. I’ve denied every other offer I’ve had to this point; my second child was born here and RSL has been a second home. Because of that, there is no other choice for myself than RSL.”
Two more players — midfielder Scott Caldwell and forward Danny Musovski — are out of contract at the close of the 2023 season. RSL’s loan deal with Belgian side SK Beveren for holding midfielder Moses Nyeman is also expiring, though Salt Lake remains in discussions regarding his transfer options, as well.
The six players who had their options for 2024 exercised include Maikel Chang, Tomas Gomez, Bode HIdalgo, Jasper Loffelsend, Bryan Oviedo and Pablo Ruiz. Recent MLS SuperDraft picks Ilijah Paul and Bertin Jacquesson remain guaranteed due to their Generation adidas status, while Chicho Arango, Kevon Lambert, Nelson Palacio, Braian Ojeda, Brayan Vera and Andres Gómez are all under contract.
RSL’s 11 homegrown players of Gavin Beavers, Andrew Brody, Zack Farsworth, Justen Glad, Erik Holt, Axel Kei, Jaziel Orozco, Delentz Pierre, Luis Rivera, Jude Wellings and Hidalgo are also slated to return in 2024.
Six other veteran players — forward Anderson Julio, midfielder Diego Luna, goalkeeper Zac MacMath, forward Rubio Rubin, forward Jefferson Savarino and defender Marcelo Silva — own guaranteed contracts throught he 2024 campaign, which kicks off the preseason Jan. 13.
That’s 31 players that are returning for the 2024 season, with Kreilach’s decision still to be determined. Both Kreilach and general manager Elliot Fall said they were open to his return during end-of-season exit interviews last week, though the decision remains ongoing and Fall declined to comment on specifics of the negotiations.
Here’s a summary of RSL’s roster decisions, as of Friday:
Out of Contract – Caldwell, Musovski
Options Declined – Benitez, Kreilach
Options Exercised – Chang, Eneli, T. Gomez, Hidalgo, Löffelsend, Oviedo, Ruiz
Guaranteed for 2024 – Arango, Beavers, Brody, Farnsworth, A. Gómez, Holt, Jacquesson, Julio, Kei, Lambert, Luna, MacMath, Ojeda, Orozco, Palacio, Paul, Pierre, Rivera, Rubin, Savarino, Silva, Vera, Wellings
Loan Status TBD – Nyeman
MLS will open a 48-hour trade window beginning Monday, Dec. 11, following MLS Cup before free-agency opens Wednesday, Dec. 13. The 2024 MLS SuperDraft is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 19, followed by stage two of the re-entry process two days later for non-free agent-eligible players.
The 2024 regular season is scheduled to kick off Saturday, Feb. 24.