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FC Cincinnati: 2020 Preview – Off the Bottom?

By Matt Coles

CINCINNATI, OH - MARCH 17: FC Cincinnati defender Kendall Waston (2) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during FC Cincinnati's inaugural home match against the Portland Timbers on March 17th 2019, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH - MARCH 17: FC Cincinnati defender Kendall Waston (2) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during FC Cincinnati's inaugural home match against the Portland Timbers on March 17th 2019, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, IL – JULY 13: FC Cincinnati defender Kendall Waston (2) looks on in game action during a MLS match between the Chicago Fire and FC Cincinnati on July 13, 2019 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgview, IL. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – JULY 13: FC Cincinnati defender Kendall Waston (2) looks on in game action during a MLS match between the Chicago Fire and FC Cincinnati on July 13, 2019 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgview, IL. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Offseason Summary

Squad Retention

The majority of their squad has stayed with the club ahead of the 2020 term, including both of their starting goalkeepers across last season, Spencer Richey and Przemyslaw Tyton, with the pair both starting at least 15 games in the regular season last year.

Captain Kendall Waston will continue to lead from the backline, with the Costa Rican centre-half now into his seventh MLS campaign after spending five years with the Vancouver Whitecaps before his move to FCC last offseason.

Nick Hagglund and Mathieu Deplagne will also provide experience along the backline, while Frankie Amaya and last year’s top scorer, Allan Cruz, will look to provide an attacking impetus from the middle of the park.

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Darren Mattocks and Kekuta Manneh will be the side’s two forwards with the most MLS experience and they will look to improve their goal tallies from last season this time round.

Transfers & SuperDraft Picks

A few of FC Cincinnati’s bigger names left, including Emmanuel Ledesma, the side’s best performer last season. The Argentinian midfielder was waived by the club, along with MLS stalwart Fanendo Adi.

Both Victor Ulloa and Alvas Powell will feature for another team in their first season in MLS in 2020. The pair were transferred to Inter Miami CF in November. Meanwhile, Roland Lamah and Derrick Etienne both saw their options declined.

Leonardo Bertone became another key midfielder to leave the club when he was signed by FC Thun in his home nation of Switzerland in early January.

However, some big names have also made the move to Cincinnati, including former Philadelphia Union midfielder Haris Medunjanin, which the Ohio-based club selected with the No.1 pick in the 2019 MLS Waiver Draft in November.

The defensive trio of Saad Abdul-Salaam, Zico Bailey and Tom Pettersson have also joined the club, with the latter coming across from his home country of Sweden, signing from Östersunds FK. FCC have also brought in Yuya Kubo, who will become only the ninth Japanese player to feature in MLS, to bolster their attacking threat.

The club had the second pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft. With it, they chose Mexican forward Ray Ortiz from Portland with the hope that the young man can score a few goals this year. FCC also chose French midfielder Joris Ahlinvi in the draft with the Indiana man selected with the 53rd pick in the SuperDraft.

Editor’s Note: This piece was written before the DP acquisition of Jurgen Locadia.

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