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It’s going to be an interesting summer for Austin FC, and more than just on the pitch.
Upon waiver of one of the three designated players, midfielder Emiliano Rigoni, on Tuesday, the club cleared not only a high-impact roster spot, but also about $1 million in salary cap space. And while only Austin FC sporting director Rodolfo Borrell knows how much it can spend under the league cap and ownership budget, it’s clear the club will be making moves.
In his press conference on Thursday, Borrell spoke about Rigon’s sacking and where the club goes from here.
Borrell: Rigoni’s departure was known for months
It’s no surprise to anyone that Austin FC released Rigon, considering his performance on the field. Six goals and six assists in 58 appearances for a certain player — whose $684,000-plus salary doesn’t count against the cap — is simply not acceptable.
Rigon’s poor form also saw him come off the bench periodically, and with his contract worth more than $2 million a year guaranteed for next year after making 12 appearances this season, it was only a matter of time before Austin FC to cut ties with him.
“The shocking thing about that contract is how do you do that with a certain player? said Borrell, who was hired last summer after Claudio Reyna resigned in January 2023. “He’s supposed to play every game.”
(In a subtle look at the way Reyna did business, Borrell noted that there are “a lot of surprises” in the contracts of other players he deals with.)
While Borrell said giving up Rigoni was not the “ideal exit,” he noted that Austin FC made a concerted effort to loan or trade him over the winter.
“I called his agent at the end of last season and said, ‘We have to find a solution,'” Borrell said. “I found two solutions for an exit, but his agent did not agree with those solutions. … We did our job to make that happen in the offseason.”
Help may be on the way … in July
Athletic have reported that Rigon’s replacement is already in the works, saying Austin FC will sign winger Osman Bukari, who plays for Red Star Belgrade in Serbia. Borrell declined to comment on players who are not under contract, but said he “will bring in players when it makes sense to bring them in. Bringing a player into MLS is not that easy because of all the rules and limitations.”
More: Austin FC avoids a short turnaround in victory over Sporting Kansas City
Although Austin FC look set to make big moves – The Athletic also previously reported that right-back Mikkel Desler, who just finished a season with Toulouse in the French first division, will join the Verde & Black this summer – the club will have to get though the next two months with a skeleton list.
New players cannot join until the summer transfer window opens on July 18 – Austin FC will play 10 games between now and then – and it will take time for the players to adapt to the club’s tactics and to get back into match shape.
Austin FC could also use more than two players, but as he has previously noted, Borrell said he is not, “willing to make panic decisions.”
A good start cannot be wasted
Austin FC in third place in the Western Conference does not lose to Borrell. With 19 points in their last nine games, the Verde & Black are one of the top five teams in MLS during that span.
“We have to try to take advantage of this moment,” Borrell said.
That doesn’t mean making plans for a postseason parade, though. Borrell is a pragmatist and he said “massive changes” would be needed to compete for an MLS Cup and that the club’s goal – to make the playoffs – is the same as it was in January.
If Austin FC achieves its goal, its starting lineup in the first playoff game in late October could be dramatically different than the one it plays Saturday in San Jose.
“You’re always looking to improve every position,” Borrell said. “We have to be ready for all scenarios and have a plan A, B, C, D because of all the rules and regulations.”
Saturday’s game
Austin FC at San Jose, 9:30 p.m., Apple TV, 97.5
This article originally appeared in the Austin American-Statesman: Quitting Emiliano Rigoni is just the beginning for Austin FC’s Rodolfo Borrell
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