The Union news-dumped their offseason roster moves late Tuesday, announcing a formal parting of ways with Leon Flach.
The club retains 24 players under contract for 2025, to be coached by a person still to be determined after the firing of Jim Curtin. That group includes Mikael Uhre, whose option automatically vested earlier in the season, and Isaiah LeFlore.
It does not include Flach, out of contract at the end of the season and whom the Union are letting walk.
The Union declined options on Homegrowns Brandon Craig and Matthew Real, defender Jack Elliott and forward Joaquin Torres. They also declined the purchase option for on-loan left back Jamir Berdecio.
The Union described “ongoing negotiations” with Elliott, Craig and Alejandro Bedoya, who is out of contract.
Also out of contract is Sam Adeniran, though the Union don’t plan to bring the forward acquired midseason from St. Louis back.
Flach, still just 23, played 116 games (107 starts) with two goals and 10 assists in four seasons since coming over from St. Pauli in the German 2.Bundesliga. A dual U.S.-German citizen, he was more of a defense-first presence, one rated more highly by Curtin than Sporting Director Ernst Tanner. Flach said in October that he had not had any discussions with the club on a new contract by his choice.
Berdecio, 22, was acquired on loan from Oriente Petrolero. He made 28 appearances for MLS Next Pro runner-up Union II but never made the squad for the first team. He made his international debut with Bolivia over the summer.
Craig, 19, is a Homegrown product who has made one appearance with the Union for three minutes in 2022. He was loaned to Austin FC but did not play in 2023, then spent 2024 on loan with El Paso Locomotive in the USL Championship, with one goal in 19 appearances.
Real, now 25, made 52 appearances for the Union since 2018. He spent the season with the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, leading them to the USL title.
LeFlore was signed by the Union last offseason from Houston but tore his ACL in the preseason and missed the entire year.
Torres was loaned out to Chilean club Universidad Catolica in the spring. He was acquired from Montreal in 2023 but made just 14 appearances for the Union with one goal.
