ST. LOUIS – St. Louis City SC embarks on a new era for the club in 2026.
The club will be bringing in a new head coach, a new sporting director, and new faces on the field, along with some familiar faces departing.
We lead off with the biggest move of the offseason for the club, and what is by far the biggest outgoing move as far as importance in their short history. Joao Klauss will no longer wear City Red, as he was transferred to LA Galaxy in a cash trade for $2.375 million.
Klauss was the team’s starting striker, but more importantly, the team’s first striker and first No. 9. Klauss was one of the few original City players, playing for CITY2 in 2022 before the team kicked their first ball in MLS in 2023.
“Klauss has been an important part of the club and gave our fans unforgettable memories, especially during that first season,” said Sporting Director Corey Wray in a press release. “He represented CITY SC and this city with passion and will always be part of the history of this club. We thank Klauss for his enormous contributions and wish him nothing but success in the next chapter of his career.”
As Wray alludes to, Klauss has been one of the faces of the franchise for the past three years. Many fans have a Klauss No. 9 jersey as their very first City jersey. No one said the rebuilding process would be easy, and few expected this move to be made ahead of the 2026 season.
Even Wray wasn’t expecting Klauss to leave.
“While we did not plan to make this move ahead of the season, this was an opportunity that made sense for both Klauss and the club,” said Wray. “Especially with his contract expiring at the end of the season. The funds we receive give us meaningful flexibility, and we’re excited to reinvest into the roster as we continue to build and improve the squad over the upcoming transfer windows.” Klauss is the headliner of the departures of the offseason, but plenty of the 2025 roster will not be back for 2026. Henry Kessler, who has been a key figure in the City defense when healthy, did not have his team option renewed for 2026, and has since signed with Charlotte FC. Kessler struggled with injury issues, especially in 2025 where a lingering hamstring issue kept him sidelined. Kessler made 25 appearances for the team after being acquired in the 2024 trade that sent Tim Parker to the New England Revolution. According to Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith, Kessler is still dealing with hamstring trouble in preseason with the North Carolinian club. His injury record, and lingering injuries, likely played a role in his contract not being renewed in St. Louis. Winger Rasmus Alm suffered a similar fate, relied upon heavily when healthy, but simply couldn’t stay healthy enough for City to renew his contract for 2026. Alm has since signed for Orgryte in the Swedish Allsvenskan. Jay Reid, who joined the team in 2024 as City looked for a left back option, split his time in St. Louis fairly evenly between the first and second teams. Reid joined rivals Sporting Kansas City at the start of February. Seth Antwi, from the CITY2 roster, who signed a first team contract as emergency midfield depth last summer, found a home in the second tier USL Championship with the Birmingham Legion. He made 55 appearances for CITY2 across 2024 and 2025. Rounding out the departures with those who have yet to find a new club: Alfredo Morales, Akil Watts, Joey Zalinsky, and Michael Wentzel. Morales featured the most in that group in 2025, the 35-year-old stepped into the defensive midfield for more than 1100 minutes. He too dealt with injuries that held him out for multiple stints during the season. Watts, who played in defense-first roles, was a member of the 2022 CITY2 team and was offered a first team contract for 2023. He made 65 appearances for the big club and another 44 for CITY2. 2025 MLS Superdraft (which happened in December 2024) pick Joey Zalinsky earned a callup and made nine appearances for the first team in 2025. Zalinsky was loaned to Indy Eleven in the USL Championship before not having his contract renewed. Center back Michael Wentzel joined CITY2 ahead of the 2023 season, and was a regular presence for the second team that year and in 2024. Like other releases, injuries cost Wentzel most of his 2025. Loanees Devin Padelford and Conrad Wallem saw their loans with their respective clubs (Minnesota United and Slavia Prague) come to an end, but Wallem will stay in City red through June of 2029 after signing a fresh contract. Wallem was a mainstay in the City starting lineup in 2025, featuring all over the field. He started games as a central midfielder, a wingback, a winger, deputizing anywhere he was asked. For the final months of the season he played mostly as a right or left back for David Critchley. Wallem’s commitment to the task and his ability to stay healthy and in the squad likely won him a new contract with St. Louis City. “Conrad has already proven that he is a fit for this club, both on and off the field,” said Corey Wray. “His tactical intelligence, experience and versatility will allow him to contribute immediately, and this permanent move should help him settle and build on the strong performances he showed with the group last season. We are extremely happy to have finalized this deal and are excited to further strengthen the squad ahead of the season.” Other familiar faces sticking around after having contracts renewed: midfielder Chris Durkin, winger Sangbin Jeong, attacker Brendan McSorley, defender Jaziel Orozco, and midfielder and STL local Miguel Perez. Backup goalkeeper Ben Lundt re-signed a new contract that keeps him in the City fold behind Roman Bürki through 2027. Third goalkeeper Christian Olivares, a CITY2 regular, renewed his contract and was loaned to Sporting Jax (Jacksonville) in the USL Championship. The first offseason signing from outside the club itself was not a headliner, but addressed a depth need in the midfield. 22-year-old Daniel Edelman was purchased from New York Red Bulls for 700k in General Allocation Money (GAM) and a potential 150k in performance bonuses. “Daniel is a ball-winning, high-intensity midfielder whose addition will bring even more competition to our midfield group,” said Corey Wray in a club statement. “He has played significant MLS minutes despite his young age and has shown maturity in his performances. We believe he can continue to develop and take another step at this level. We are looking forward to welcoming him to St. Louis as we continue to build out our roster with talented players.” Edelman has been a part of the NYRB first team since 2022, making 118 appearances in total, 96 of which in MLS play. He is a ball-winning midfielder who likes to step up and join attackers in the high press, and figures to be battling for a holding midfield role in the 2026 City team. For their entire existence, St. Louis City has looked for a left back that could join the attack and get crosses in. They hope to have found an answer for that left back/wingback role in Rafael Santos. Santos, a 28-year-old Brazilian, started his career in his homeland with Cruzeiro, and won the Serie B title with them and Chapecoense while in Brazil. Most of his MLS experience comes with Orlando City in recent years before joining Colorado Rapids to finish out the 2025 season. His left foot is particularly exciting, with the ability to swing in dangerous crosses from the left wing but also the confidence to take long shots and free kicks. “Rafael has proven experience in MLS and will be a strong addition to our roster as we prepare for this season,” Corey Wray said. “He’s a dynamic, attacking left back who has spent several years in this league gaining valuable experience and that will make him a great fit for our locker room.” Looking to further shore up the backline for 2026 and beyond, City signed 23-year-old Senegalese center back Mamadou Mbacke Fall (who tends to just go by Mamadou Mbacke) from FC Barcelona. Signing anyone from Barcelona turns heads in the soccer world. Mamadou Mbacke Fall, no relation City’s Senegalese center back Fallou Fall, wasn’t playing for FC Barcelona proper, but Barcelona Atletic, or Barca B as they are more colloquially known. He moved to Barca B following a stint at Villareal, where he spent time between the first and second teams. Mbacke began his professional soccer career in MLS with LAFC, making his MLS debut at just 18 years of age in 2021. Fall scored six goals as a defender in 42 appearances for LAFC. Where City’s latest Senegalese center back really stands out is his goalscoring prowess, using his size and leaping ability to win headers on corners and free kicks. He also fits City’s defensive profile, a center back who’s comfortable with the ball at his feet. “When we started looking at ways to strengthen our defense, Mamadou’s profile stood out, and we believe he addresses some immediate needs for us,” Corey Wray said. “He is comfortable on the ball, reads the game well and combines mobility with strong front-foot defending. His experience playing in high performance cultures in both MLS and in Europe will provide stability to our back line.” Lutz Pfannenstiel, despite no longer working for St. Louis City, was a central figure in the next City signing. City acquired 25-year-old American Dante Polvara from Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen, where Pfannenstiel has taken over as sporting director since leaving St. Louis. Speaking to Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Corey Wray said Pfannenstiel helped sell Polvara on St. Louis, and that Pfannenstiel was “professional as could be”. In Polvara, who Yoann Damet wants to play more as a center back, at least so far in preseason, City finds another player with more experience than his 25 years of age lets on. He made his Aberdeen debut in 2022, making 93 appearances for the team, including 13 in UEFA competition. He scored a goal against Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023 in the UEFA Conference League and won his first trophy in 2025, as Aberdeen defeated Scottish giants Celtic in the Scottish Cup Final. Polvara scored in the penalty shootout to help Aberdeen lift the trophy. “We’re excited to bring Dante to St. Louis and believe he will add quality and competition to our group,” said Corey Wray in a press release. “He is a versatile player who can impact games in both defense and in midfield, and at 6-foot-4, he brings an imposing physical presence while still being technically clean on the ball. He’s still young but has gained valuable experience from Scotland and European competition which will help him contribute right away.” Finally, as this article was coming together, it was reported by Manuel Veth of Transfermarkt that City had reached a deal with 30-year-old Canadian defender Lukas MacNaughton. MacNaughton has been on trial with the team during their preseason camp, and featured in preseason friendlies against New York Red Bulls, DC United, and the Tampa Bay Rowdies. MacNaughton is a former Canadian international, and with a World Cup coming up this summer, will be eager for playing time to be in that conversation again. He started his professional career with Pacific FC in the Canadian Premier League before moving to MLS with Toronto FC. MacNaughton proved himself as an MLS starting center back in Toronto before moving to Nashville and winning a starting gig there as well. Unfortunately, injuries have plagued MacNaughton in recent years. His two years in Nashville were mostly spent watching from afar. He missed the final months of the 2023 season with a leg injury and missed all but five games in 2024 due to a hip injury that led to a season-ending surgery. He moved to DC United ahead of the 2025 season, and again, missed significant time due to injury, spending more than three months off the team sheet. If he can stay fit and healthy, he adds more depth to the City defensive corps. “Lukas integrated himself really well with the team both on and off the field during preseason camp,” Corey Wray said in a statement on February 10. “He brings valuable MLS experience and has a strong understanding of what we are asking defensively. Adding his skillset and competitiveness gives us important depth at center back as we head into the season.” With the additions of MacNaughton, Polvara, Mbacke, Santos, and Edelman, St. Louis City SC has answered questions in key positions. It’s very likely that three of those names are starters when the season kicks off in earnest. It’s a noticeable shift in the roster structure. Corey Wray wanted to bring in talent with experience, but with gas in the tank. A rebuild starts with an injection of fresh blood. The obvious headline of the offseason will be the departure of longtime City favorite Joao Klauss, and there is seemingly no hurry to replace the striker who left for LA Galaxy. Head coach Yoann Damet has seemingly liked what he’s seen from Simon Becher and Brendan McSorley in camp and preseason so far. There will be calls from fans and media alike to find a new No. 9 to replace Klauss, especially if City struggles to score goals in MLS competition. But if Yoann Damet’s 3-4-3 system works a charm and unlocks something in Becher or McSorley not seen yet, moving on from Klauss will be seen as a stroke of genius. Only time will tell if City’s offseason moves will pay off. We begin to figure out if shuffling the deck makes a difference on the field in less than two weeks, when St. Louis City SC hosts Charlotte FC on February 21 at Energizer Park.
