Sizing Up Austin FC’s 2024 Roster

An offseason full of subtraction and (some) addition leaves Austin FC with some interesting positional battles throughout the roster heading into the 2024 season. A stacked midfield, a treacherously shallow backline, and uncertainty in attack highlight a squad that will be asked to keep the club competitive until the summer transfer window, when further additions are expected.

Goalkeepers

Acquisitions: Stefan Cleveland

Departures: Damian Las (loaned)

Obvious starters: Brad Stuver

Obvious alternates: Cleveland, Matt Bersano

For the fourth consecutive season, Brad Stuver enters the year as Austin FC’s main man between the uprights. Stuver successfully achieved his personal goal of playing every minute of every Austin FC match in 2023, meaning backup Matt Bersano’s services were not needed. Nor, barring an injury to Stuver, should Stefan Cleveland’s be. The former Seattle Sounders No. 2 keeper signed a two-year deal with Austin and will likely supplant Bersano as Stuver’s primary alternate, especially after Damian Las, 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Year, was loaned out to USL Championship side Louisville City for the 2024 season.

Defenders

Acquisitions: Guilherme Biro

Departures: Nick Lima, Charlie Asensio, Kipp Keller, Adam Lundkvist, Jhohan Romaña

Obvious starters: Leo Väisänen, Jon Gallagher

Potential starters: Matt Hedges, Julio Cascante, Žan Kolmanič, Biro

Obvious alternates: Hector Jimenez

Lack of depth in defense was arguably Austin FC’s biggest weakness in 2023, to the point that midfielder Alex Ring was often called upon to fill in at center back when both Julio Cascante and Leo Väisänen dealt with injury. That issue remains as the club at time of writing carries just three total CBs into the season. 2023 MLS All-Star Jon Gallagher is locked in at right back after the club traded veteran Nick Lima to New England, while Žan Kolmanič, returning from an ACL tear sustained last April, will likely get the nod at the opposite fullback spot if fully fit. Brazilian signing Guilherme Biro is an intriguing option if Kolmanič needs more time.

Midfielders

Acquisitions: Micah Burton (homegrown)

Departures: Sofiane Djeffal, Memo Rodriguez

Obvious starters: Sebastián Driussi, Dani Pereira

Potential starters: Alex Ring, Owen Wolff, Jhojan Valencia

Obvious alternates: CJ Fodrey, Burton

Midfield has been Austin FC’s strength for the entirety of the club’s existence, and that starts with star captain Sebastián Driussi. Driussi’s ability to return close to his 2022 productivity, when he posted 25 goals and seven assists, will be a key factor in determining how competitive the club can be this season. The rest of the three-man midfield is strong as well, with four starting-caliber talents competing for two spots in the lineup. Dani Pereira has proven his value to the club time after time and will see big minutes; Josh Wolff hinted at experimenting with Pereira in a more attacking role this off-season. That would place added defensive responsibility on the shoulders of Alex Ring and Jhojan Valencia, who both specialize in thwarting opposing attacks. Owen Wolff could see the majority of his minutes come on the wing to start the season, but the talented 19-year-old is a breakout candidate for the 2024 season. Though 17-year-old academy product Micah Burton signed his first pro contract with Austin FC in January, Josh Wolff confirmed he’ll start the season with Austin FC II.

Forwards

Acquisitions: Diego Rubio, Jáder Obrian

Departures: Maxi Urruti, Will Bruin, Alfonso Ocampo-Chávez

Obvious starters: Emiliano Rigoni, Obrian

Potential starters: Rubio, Gyasi Zardes, Ethan Finlay

There’s a lot of ways it could go in attack for Austin FC in 2024. The club’s two over-30 strikers, Gyasi Zardes and February signing Diego Rubio, are out to prove that they can still tally double-digit goal totals. Rubio did so as recently as 2022 when he posted 16 goals as a member of the Colorado Rapids. But there’s obvious risk with both striking options, and Josh Wolff has yet to demonstrate that his system can get consistent goal production from the No. 9 position (ironic, since Wolff himself was a striker in his playing days). And what will Wolff get from Emiliano Rigoni in his second full season in Austin? Rigoni simply has to raise his level of play and production in order to show that he belongs in Major League Soccer as a starter, let alone a top-earning designated player.