2021 Orlando City SC season

The 2021 Orlando City SC season is the club's eleventh season of existence in Orlando and seventh season in Major League Soccer, the top-flight league in the United States soccer league system. Alongside Major League Soccer, the club will also compete in the U.S. Open Cup.

Orlando City
2021 season
CEOAlex Leitão
ManagerÓscar Pareja
StadiumExploria Stadium

Season review

Pre-season

With the addition of Austin FC in 2021, MLS held an Expansion Draft on December 15, 2020.[1] Orlando had 13 players exposed.[2] Kamal Miller was selected by Austin who immediately traded him to the Montreal Impact in exchange for $225,000 in General Allocation Money and a first round pick (11th) in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft.[3] It was the second time an Orlando player had been taken in an expansion draft after Mikey Ambrose was selected in 2016.

Roster
Last updated on February 3, 2021[4]
No. Nationality Name Position(s) Date of birth (age) Previous club Notes
Goalkeepers
1 Pedro Gallese GK (1990-02-23) February 23, 1990 Veracruz INT
31 Mason Stajduhar GK (1997-12-02) December 2, 1997 Orlando City U-23 HGP
Brandon Austin GK (1999-01-07) January 7, 1999 Tottenham Hotspur Loan in
Defenders
2 Ruan RB (1995-05-29) May 29, 1995 Barra da Tijuca INT
4 João Moutinho LB (1998-01-12) January 12, 1998 Los Angeles FC GA
6 Robin Jansson CB (1991-11-15) November 15, 1991 AIK –
15 Rodrigo Schlegel CB (1997-04-03) April 3, 1997 Racing Club INT
24 Kyle Smith RB (1992-01-09) January 9, 1992 Louisville City –
25 Antônio Carlos CB (1993-03-07) March 7, 1993 Palmeiras INT
26 Michael Halliday DF (2003-01-22) January 22, 2003 Orlando City B HGP
Jonathan Suárez LB (1997-02-22) February 22, 1997 Querétaro Loan in
Midfielders
8 Sebas Méndez MF (1997-04-26) April 26, 1997 Independiente del Valle –
10 Mauricio Pereyra CAM (1990-03-15) March 15, 1990 FC Krasnodar DP, INT
11 Júnior Urso MF (1989-03-10) March 10, 1989 Corinthians INT
20 Uri Rosell MF (1992-07-07) July 7, 1992 Sporting CP –
21 Andrés Perea MF (2000-11-14) November 14, 2000 Atlético Nacional –
30 David Loera MF (1998-09-10) September 10, 1998 NC State Wolfpack HGP
33 Jordan Bender MF (2001-07-09) July 9, 2001 Orlando City B HGP
34 Joey DeZart MF (1998-06-09) June 9, 1998 Wake Forest Demon Deacons –
Forwards
9 Chris Mueller FW (1996-08-29) August 29, 1996 Wisconsin Badgers –
13 Tesho Akindele FW (1992-03-31) March 31, 1992 FC Dallas –
17 Nani FW (1986-11-17) November 17, 1986 Sporting CP DP, INT
19 Benji Michel FW (1997-10-23) October 23, 1997 Portland Pilots HGP
22 Alexander Alvarado FW (1999-04-21) April 21, 1999 Aucas INT
99 Matheus Aiás FW (1996-12-30) December 30, 1996 Watford INT

Staff
Executive
Majority owner and chairman Flávio Augusto da Silva
Chief executive officer Alex Leitão
Executive VP of soccer operations Luiz Muzzi
Coaching staff
Head coach Óscar Pareja
Assistant coach Josema Bazán
Assistant coach Diego Torres Ortiz
Strength and conditioning coach Fabian Bazán
Goalkeeping coach César Baena

Competitions

Major League Soccer
Further information: 2021 Major League Soccer season

Outside of the club, Austin FC joined the league as an expansion franchise, bringing the total number of MLS clubs to 27.

U.S. Open Cup
Main article: 2021 U.S. Open Cup

Player movement

Per Major League Soccer and club policies, terms of the deals do not get disclosed.

MLS SuperDraft picks

Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. The 2021 MLS SuperDraft was held on January 21, 2021. Orlando had four selections.

2021 Orlando City MLS SuperDraft Picks
Round Selection Player Position College Status
1 8 Derek Dodson FW Georgetown University TBD
19 Rio Hope-Gund DF Georgetown University TBD
22 Brandon Hackenberg DF Pennsylvania State University TBD
2 49 Andrew Pannenberg GK Wake Forest University TBD

Transfers in
No. Name Pos. Transferred from Fee/Notes Date Ref.
25 Antônio Carlos CB Palmeiras Exercised option to buy, reportedly $1.7m December 1, 2020 [5][6]
15 Rodrigo Schlegel CB Racing Club Exercised option to buy, reportedly $500k December 2, 2020 [7][8]
21 Andrés Perea MF Atlético Nacional Exercised option to buy [7]
22 Alexander Alvarado FW Aucas Exercised option to buy [7]

Loans in
No. Name Pos. Loaned from Notes Date Ref.
Brandon Austin GK Tottenham Hotspur Six-month loan with an option for an additional six months January 22, 2021 [9]
Jonathan Suárez LB Querétaro One-year loan with option to buy February 3, 2021 [10]

Transfers out
No. Name Pos. Transferred to Fee/Notes Date Ref.
14 Dom Dwyer FW Contract expired December 2, 2020 [11]
3 Alex DeJohn CB Option declined [7]
17 Josué Colmán MF Guaraní Option declined; Signed with Guaraní on 1/27/21 [7][12]
77 Robinho FW Confiança Option declined; Signed with Confiança on 2/1/21 [7][13]
29 Santiago Patiño FW San Antonio FC Option declined; Signed with San Antonio FC on 1/6/21 [7][14]
27 Kamal Miller CB Austin FC Selected in the 2020 MLS Expansion Draft. December 15, 2020 [3]
23 Brian Rowe GK Out of contract; in negotiations with Orlando City December 31, 2020 [7]

Loans out
No. Name Pos. Loaned to Notes Date Ref.
18 Daryl Dike FW Barnsley Until the end of the 2020–21 season with an option to buy February 1, 2021 [15]

References
  1. "Austin FC Set to Participate in 2020 MLS Expansion Draft on Dec. 15". www.mlssoccer.com.
  2. "2020 MLS Expansion Draft: Official list of players eligible for selection". www.mlssoccer.com.
  3. "Impact acquires centre back Kamal Miller from Austin FC". www.impactmontreal.com. December 15, 2020.
  4. "Players – Orlando City Soccer Club". orlandocitysc.com. Major League Soccer.
  5. "Orlando City SC Executes Permanent Transfer for Antonio Carlos". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  6. "Palmeiras vê 'quantia vinda de bandeja' e acerta venda de Antônio Carlos ao Orlando City; zagueiro está avaliado em R$ 9,4 milhões". Bolavip Brasil (in Portuguese).
  7. "Orlando City Exercises Options on 12 Players Following 2020 MLS Campaign". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  8. "El defensor que fue arquero le deja plata a Racing". www.ole.com.ar (in Spanish).
  9. "Orlando City SC Acquires American Goalkeeper Brandon Austin". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  10. "Orlando City SC Acquires American Defender Jonathan Suárez". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  11. "Orlando City SC Forward Dom Dwyer to Enter Free Agency". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  12. "Josué Colmán es bienvenido en Guaraní". Tigo Sports (in Spanish).
  13. "Robinho deixa o Orlando City e está de volta ao Confiança". Globo esporte (in Portuguese).
  14. "San Antonio FC signs forward Santiago Patino". San Antonio FC. January 6, 2021.
  15. "Daryl Dike joins on loan". www.barnsleyfc.co.uk.
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