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MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Announces Protected List for 2016 MLS Expansion Draft

December 12, 2016 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


SANDY, Utah- Real Salt Lake has announced the 11 players on the club's Protected Player list in advance of the 2016 MLS Expansion Draft, taking place tomorrow, Tuesday, December 12, at 12 noon MT. Minnesota United and AtlantaUnited will select five players each with no existing MLS club losing more than one player to the expansion sides.

While allowed to protect 11 players, MLS rules require clubs to make available a number of international players equal to their total number of international players minus three. However, RSL does not have three remaining international players on its current roster, so will protect FW Juan Manuel Martinez, who has returned to Argentina.

In addition to Martinez, the following 10 RSL players will not be eligible for selection by Minnesota and Atlanta when Major League Soccer's two newest clubs make their selections:

GK Nick Rimando

DF Tony Beltran

DF Aaron Maund

DF Demar Phillips

DF Chris Schuler

MF Kyle Beckerman

MF Luke Mulholland

MF Sunday Stephen

FW Yura Movsisyan

FW Joao Plata

On top of the aforementioned group of 11 individuals, seven RSL Players - including homegrown MF DaniloAcosta, FW JordanAllen, GK LaloFernandez, DF JustenGlad, FW SebastianSaucedo and FW RicardoVelazco, along with Generation adidas MF OmarHolness - are exempt from the draft and cannot be selected by Minnesota or Atlanta.

With the Protected Player list established, this means that the following players currently under contract with Real Salt Lake will be available for selection by Minnesota and Atlanta:

Goalkeepers: Jeff Attinella Defenders: Phanuel Kavita, Boyd Okwuonu, Jamison Olave, Chris Wingert Midfielders: Javier Morales, John Stertzer Forwards: Pedro Baez, Olmes Garcia, Devon Sandoval, Emery Welshman

Real Salt Lake History in MLS Expansion Drafts 2006: Toronto FC - Jason Kreis selected (re-acquired by RSL in exchange for allocation money) 2007: San Jose Earthquakes - no RSL player selected 2008: Seattle Sounders FC - Nathan Sturgis selected 2009: Philadelphia Union - no RSL player selected (RSL traded Chris Seitz to Union in exchange for allocation money on eve of expansion draft) 2010: Portland Timbers/ Vancouver Whitecaps FC - Portland selected Robbie Findley and David Horst 2011: Montreal Impact - Collen Warner selected 2014: New York City FC/Orlando City SC - NYCFC selected Ned Grabavoy and Chris Wingert

*** Prior to its inaugural 2005 campaign, Real Salt Lake selected Andy Williams, D.J. Countess, Pablo Brenes, Brian Kamler, Nelson Akwari, Chris Brown, Matt Behncke, Rusty Pierce, Kevin Ara and Erick Scott in the 2004 MLS Expansion Draft on November 19, 2004.

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