Major League Soccer

Big Names Left Unprotected For MLS Expansion Draft

mls-logo-useOrlando City SC and New York City FC fans will find out who is on their clubs squad on Wednesday when the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft takes place. Some of the big names available are Eddie Johnson (D.C. United), Claudio Bieler (Sporting KC), Rais Mbolhi (Philadelphia Union) and Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls).

Success in New York and Orlando will depend on the depth of the each clubs roster and there are lots of proven MLS veterans available like Mauro Rosales (Vancouver), Kenny Cooper (Seattle), Jackson (Toronto), Dominic Oduro (Toronto), Mavell Wynne (Colorado), Jairo Arrieta (Columbus), Davy Arnaud (DC), Corey Ashe (Houston), Alan Gordon (LA), AJ Soares (New England), Peguy Luyindula (NY Red Bulls), Conor Casey (Philadelphia), and goalkeepers Jon Busch (San Jose), Troy Perkins (Montreal) and 2013 Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Donovan Ricketts (Portland).

If its youth you want, how about talents like Homegrown player Ben Speas (Columbus), Seattle playoff starter Michael Azira, dependable Vancouver starter Sebastian Fernandez or New England rookie Patrick Mullins, who helped set up a goal at MLS Cup 2014 on Sunday.

Both OCSC and NYCFC will make 10 picks in the draft with Orlando City getting the first choice based on the Priority Draft held a few weeks ago.

Any one team can only lose a maximum of two players in the Expansion Draft. In addition, once a player has been claimed from a club’s non-protected list, that club may then move to protect an unprotected player.