St Louis CITY2 announce their end of year roster decisions following the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season. The team exercised contract options on three players and declined contract options on five other players ahead of the 2024 season, with four players now already under contract for next season.
CITY2 exercised contract options on forward Dida Armstrong, midfielder Larsen Hackworth and midfielder John Klein. Klein finished the season with a team-leading 17 goal contributions (13 goals, 4 assists) in 2,121 minutes played. With his brace against Real Monarchs on August 6, one of his three multi-goal games during the season, Klein became CITY2’s all-time leading goal scorer.
CITY2 declined contract options on midfielders Faysal Bettache and AJ Palazzolo, forward Stanislav Koval and goalkeeper Eric Walker. Additionally, defender Ezra Armstrong, midfielder Wan Kuzain, midfielder Sergio Rivas are out of contract. Negotiations are ongoing for potential returns in 2024 with Wan Kuzain and Rivas.
Following the 2023 season, Palazzolo announced his official retirement from professional soccer. The former Saint Louis University standout joined CITY2 ahead of the team’s debut campaign in 2022, helping the team win the MLS NEXT Pro Western Conference. Across his two seasons with CITY2, Palazzolo made 43 appearances across 1,944 minutes, recording 24 starts and scoring 3 goals in the process.
The current roster, including exercised options and players under contract, is as follows:
Current Roster as of December 5, 2023
Goalkeepers (0):
Defenders (1): Michael Wentzel
Midfielders (2): Larsen Hackworth, John Klein
Forwards (1): Dida Armstrong
