New England announced Wednesday it has renewed the options on 14 players, signed midfielder
Daigo Kobayashi to a new contract, and arranged for three players to train with Sporting Clube de
Portugal.
Options were declined on six players, including defenders
Kevin Alston and
Jeremy Hall. Midfielders
Andy Dorman and
Jermaine Jones are out of
contract. Already under contract for the 2016 season are keeper
Bobby Shuttleworth, midfielder
Zachary Herivaux and forward Juan Agudelo.
New England can re-sign players
whose options have been declined until Dec. 10. The first stage of the Re-Entry Draft is Dec. 11. MLS will release a list of players eligible for free agency and the Re-Entry Draft Dec. 7, one day
after the MLS Cup final.
Kobayashi, 32, started his MLS career with Vancouver in 2013 and after playing 30 games for the Whitecaps they traded him to the Revolution. In 55 matches for the
Revs, he’s registered six assists without scoring a goal.
Herivaux, a Haitian youth international signed out of the Revs' academy program, is one of three Revs headed to Portugal
for a three-week training stint with Sporting, which last year agreed to a strategic collaboration with New England. Defender
Donnie Smith and forward
Sean Okoli will also train with the
Lisbon club, beginning on Sunday.
During their stay, head coach
Jay Heaps and general manager
Mike Burns are scheduled to visit and share information on player development,
scouting and other matters.
New England Roster Moves: Already under contract: GK Bobby Shuttleworth, MF -- Zachary
Herivaux, F Juan Agudelo.
Options renewed: GK -- Brad Knighton; D -- Darrius Barnes, Andrew Farrell, Jose Goncalves, Donnie Smith, Chris Tierney, London Woodberry; MF -- Teal Bunbury,
Scott Caldwell, Diego Fagundez, Lee Nguyen, Kelyn Rowe; F -- Charlie Davies, Sean Okoli.
Options declined: GK -- Trever Spangenberg; D -- Kevin Alston, Jeremy Hall; MF -- Timi Mulgrew,
Steve Neumann, Tyler Rudy.
Out of contract: MF -- Andy Dorman, Jermaine Jones.
Kobayashi resigned? Watched him play on numerous occasions coming off the bench; he brings little if anything to the table. Age has caught up with him; Revs made a poor decision.