FRISCO, Texas — On Monday, Nov. 25 at 2 p.m. CT, the End-of-Year Waivers process gives the clubs that finished at the bottom of the 2019 standings the first opportunities to select from out-of-contract, typically young players who have not met the minimum number of service years for Free Agency or the Re-Entry Process. Beginning in reverse order, and taking into account postseason performance, FC Cincinnati will select first. FC Dallas are slotted in the No. 12 position, behind the New England Revolution and in front of New York Red Bulls.
In preparation for this event, we've come up with a list of five possible players FC Dallas could consider selecting once the process begins.
Aleksandar Katai — Chicago Fire FC announced Thursday afternoon that it declined the contract option on Serbian winger Aleksandar Katai along with the rebrand of the club. Initially on loan from La Liga side Deportivo Alaves at the beginning of 2018, the Fire signed Katai as a designated player in July of that year. He would go on to contribute 18 goals and 12 assists in 62 appearances and 51 starts within two seasons at the club. By the end of the 2019 season, Katai only started in five of last 10 games scoring two goals and assisting on three others within that span. Nevertheless, he has the ability to beat defenders in one-on-one situations, and he can be dangerous when cutting inside from the wing. FC Dallas could use a talent like Katai on the left wing, a position that seemed like a revolving door between players throughout the 2019 season. If the club were to sign Katai, it would also have to pick up the DP contract that comes with him. It remains to be seen whether or not FC Dallas would be willing to do so, though.
Marco Fabian—Marco Fabian had his 2020 option declined by the Philadelphia after his first season in the league in which he scored seven goals and added an assist in 15 starts. Reportedly making over $2 million in salary, FC Dallas would need to use a DP spot and make Fabian its highest paid player to secure his services. However, the Mexican international is a proven performer having played three seasons in the Bundesliga as well as earning 43 caps for his country. While it would be a significant outlay, getting Fabian would potentially be FCD’s biggest signing in terms of star power and would spark a ton of interest from all El Tri fans in DFW.
Tommy Smith—Defender Tommy Smith is available via waivers after Colorado Rapids declined his option for the 2020 season. The 29-year-old was a consistent figure in the Rapids’ backline, playing 60 games over the last two seasons. On a reportedly salary of $600,000, Smith would be an expensive option for what would likely be a depth signing. However, if Smith were to clear waivers, FC Dallas could approach him as a free agent and renegotiate a more cap-friendly deal. Considering the consistency of Dallas’ current center back partnership of Matt Hedges and Reto Ziegler, any deal would Smith would have to be significantly less than his Colorado salary to make sense for FCD. However, Smith’s track record as a reliable MLS defender could prove valuable if one of Dallas’ starters were to miss time in 2020.
Ebenezer Ofori — This one is a tricky situation, but if FC Dallas were to weed out all of the technicalities that come with this player, he could be worth it. Ofori enjoyed a successful first season on loan from German side VfB Stuttgart in 2018, and the club chose to bring him back on the same terms in 2019. At his peak, Ofori was a tank in the defensive midfielder role in New York City, and former coach Patrick Vieira coveted the player — which is why the club decided to bring him back for another season. He's started 35 matches in 47 appearances with NYCFC, and he could be a possible intruiging option for Luchi Gonzalez and his staff to work with. Plus, he would add depth and competition with Bryan Acosta, Brandon Servania and Edwin Cerrillo for holding midfielder roles. FC Dallas would have to negotiate another loan and/or option to buy from Stuttgart in order to acquire Ofori, but the hassle could be worth it.
Bradford Jamieson IV—Jamieson is out of contract after spending six seasons with the LA Galaxy. The 23-year-old forward scored five goals and added two assists last season while on loan to San Antonio FC. While he certainly wouldn’t be brought in as a starter, Jamieson could provide decent forward depth as he can deputize on either wing in addition to his preferred striker position. Reportedly on a $76,403 salary with the Galaxy last year, the former USMNT youth international could be a solid addition without taking up too much cap space.
