MINNESOTA UNITED | ANALYSIS
Minnesota United’s success since the end of August has helped validate the team’s summer roster moves. Kelvin Yeboah, Jefferson Díaz, and Joaquín Pereyra have all slotted into the starting lineup, and all are signed through at least part of the 2027 season.
The Loons, who start the MLS playoffs next week, won’t have to decide whether to keep those players around, but they can’t say the same for another big chunk of their current lineup. When the offseason starts, it’ll be front-office crunch time.
The Loons have 2025 contract options on five players who are regularly in the starting eleven, which puts them in an awkward spot. They can pick up the one-year options, but that would mean a risk of losing the players for nothing in a year’s time. And so, from the front-office perspective, it means that the five are likely in a similar situation this offseason: either it’s time for a contract extension, or time to go on the trade/auction block.
Hlongwane, though, is currently in a special roster spot with the Loons. He’s an Under-22 Initiative player, which means his salary hits the cap at a reduced charge; if the Loons re-signed him, outside of that roster spot, that number would be significantly higher.
Oluwaseyi, meanwhile, was Minnesota’s early-season breakout star; he’s still seventh in the league in goal contributions per 90 minutes, with eight goals and four assists in less than 12 full matches. That said, he’s dealt with recurring injuries, and hasn’t scored in his last 10 appearances, while falling behind Yeboah in the pecking order at striker.
On the other end of the field, goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair is also set to head into his option year. At 27, he’s still in his prime, and by the numbers he’s been a near-top-five goalkeeper in MLS since the middle of last season. With no other proven options in net waiting in the wings, if the Loons weren’t able to agree on a contract extension with St. Clair, they’d likely have to spend even more to bring in a top-drawer replacement.
