The Legion has been slower than some other teams to get its initial roster changes settled. Over the last couple of weeks the team has begun to catch up a bit, although to this point no new signings have been made. That should be about to change with the January transfer window getting ready to open. Thus it is time to take an early look at the 2026 roster.
Here’s what we know so far:
Retirement:
Trevor Spangenberg.
Trevor told me back in February that he knew he was always going to be the #2 guy and that he was fine with that. He ended up getting injured and not playing at all in 2025 so his retirement is not a surprise. That leaves just one member of the Legion OG remaining, the indestructible Matt van Oekel, who may well also retire from playing before the season starts although he is likely to remain on the coaching staff. In 7 seasons (effectively 6) with the Three Sparks Trevor made a total of 42 appearances, allowing 55 goals and keeping 11 clean sheets.
Contract extensions not exercised:
Ethan Kos, Edwin Laszo, Erik Centeno, Kameron Lacey, Lucca Dourado and Moses Mensah.
To my mind there are two surprises here: Lucca Dourado and Moses Mensah. Dourado was sent to League One’s Forward Madison on loan where he performed extremely well, logging 8 goals and 2 assists in 27 games. He has since signed with Tormenta FC. Moses made 18 appearances this year before a season-ending injury in July. I rated him a very solid left fullback/wingback with an ability to draw fouls. It’s possible the injury was even worse; whatever the case I consider this a loss. The others not so much.
Mutual agreement:
Enzo Martinez and Jake Rufe.
The notorious “mutual agreement,” which everyone knows is usually not the case. Both Enzo and Jake have been stalwarts for the club and major fan favorites, Enzo especially, who will undoubtedly be sorely missed by the younger fans. That being said, it was definitely time for him to move on. Actually, I would say it was past time; his best playing days are over and some of his on-field antics are a distraction. Jake was the Legion’s jack-of-all-trades, playing almost anywhere on the field. He was also the only Alabama native on the squad, hailing from Huntsville. He probably will find a bigger role somewhere, possibly in League One.
Free agency:
Maliek Howell, Stephen Turnbull, and Preston Tabort Etaka.
Howell came to the Legion in that weird 3-way deal that sent Kobe Hernandez-Foster to Las Vegas Lights and then to Detroit City. He made just 3 appearances for the Legion. His departure is hardly shocking but this was a bad trade all told. Turnbull started the season really sick and never fully recovered. Reportedly he also did not particularly like Southern living. Preston joined the Legion towards the end of the 2023 season but it feels like he’s been around longer than that. He was pretty much relegated to a supersub role and though he excelled in that he probably deserves more. It is unclear whether the decision was his or the club’s.
Loans ending:
Tiago Suarez and Jackson Travis.
There’s not much that can be done when a loan ends and the player is recalled. Both these guys were significant contributors, Tiago especially. They will be missed.
So those are the players we will not see in 2026, at least not in Legion colors. So far, just 8 players have been confirmed as members of the team. Tyler Pasher, Phanuel Kavita and Ramiz Hamouda were all under existing contracts. Sam McIllhatton, Peter-Lee Vassell, Sebastian Tregarthen, A.J. Paterson and Trevor McMullen all had extension options exercised. The bulk of that is good news.
Of the 8, only Tyler Pasher staying was not on my bingo card. He has struggled with injuries the past two years and has lost a step or two. He also tries to do too much work alone. If he can get back to full health and straighten his head out he will be a major piece of the puzzle though. Ramiz Hamouda will likely be a short-term member of the team. He turns 18 in May, which is right before the summer transfer window. Werder Bremen of the Bundesliga have been keeping tabs on him; whoever he ends up with will be handing over a decent chunk of change to the Legion.
That leaves a few members of the 2025 team still unaccounted for.
Notably, Ronaldo Damus was on loan from GIF Sundsvall of the Swedish Superettan (the second tier in Sweden). The loan includes a buyout option at the end of 2025, which I would expect the Legion wants to exercise, assuming Ronaldo wants to stay. Sebastian Saucedo came in on a short-term contract and could have been massive if not for injury almost as soon as he got here. He has long-standing ties with Mark Briggs and I fully anticipate his return. Fernando Delgado would be a huge loss if he does not re-sign with the Legion, leaving a huge hole at goalkeeper. McMullen is not ready for a full-time starting position and, as noted above, MVO is probably about to hang up his cleats. English midfielder Sam Shashoua impressed every time he played this year. He was on loan from Minnesota United but has since been released. He would be a great permanent addition to the team. Also lacking any news is defender Amir Daley, who was on loan from FC Cincinnati 2. Temi Eereku was on a one-year deal but was loaned to Forward Madison. Silence on him so far.
The biggest missing piece by far is Dawson McCartney. The Three Sparks need to make keeping him an absolute priority. If they can’t, he will be difficult to replace.
There is one player who has been connected in the press with the Legion for 2026: Kadeem Cole. Cole is a Costa Rican who currently plays for Real Esteli of the Nicaraguan Liga Primera. His potential signing with the Legion was reported by Kevin Jimenez, a reputable Central American soccer journalist, back on December 7th, but there has been no news since. That is probably because nothing can be made official until the transfer window opens. He is a midfielder who plays both attacking and defending roles. Esteli fans seem pretty untroubled by the deal, so take that as it comes.
With all that, here’s what I have for a projected lineup:
Obviously, with only 8 confirmed signings there is absolutely no depth to the roster. I’ve set it up as a 3-4-3, although a 3-5-2 might be preferable from a tactical standpoint given Briggs’ preferences (and for certain if McCartney comes back). This just seems like the best option right now.
Overall, I would say the midfield is probably in the best condition but that’s not saying too much. A true central attacking mid remains a huge hole in the lineup and frankly has been ever since Bruno Lapa left. The back line looks pretty good, but if Ramiz leaves as anticipated, someone else had better be lined up to take his place. In fact, a starter over him might be preferable as the Legion should keep him as healthy as possible; an injury would be potentially disastrous for both him and the club. The attack? Well, that’s entirely up in the air at the moment.
That’s what we’ve got at the moment. Clearly, there’s much work yet to be done, and I am sure the club is working on a number of fronts. I do not expect to hear much until after the New Year. Stay tuned for more info as we get it.
