Buy(out), Bye, Bye: Austin FC exercises buyout on Robert Taylor
Robert Taylor's time at Austin FC ended on Tuesday. That makes it more likely that a rumored incoming player will be the final one delivered by Rodolfo Borrell.
Lionel Messi's former teammate is back on the market.
When Robert Taylor came over from Inter Miami CF to Austin FC in April 2025, his proximity to Messi and the track record that helped him generate — with 13 goals and 10 assists in three seasons plus a sliver of 2025 — made him an appealing acquisition.
Yet, the hefty General Allocation Money (GAM) spend required to get him — $450,000 in 2025 GAM $250,000 in 2026 GAM, and a conditional $50,000 in 2027 GAM — was seen by some as an outsized risk weighed against the production he could realistically bring.
The club admitted as much on Tuesday, putting an end to Taylor's time in Austin, using its second and final buyout of the season to cut ties with what turned out to be an oft-injured and ultimately underproducing player.
Unlike Jáder Obrian, who was cut loose via Verde's first 2026 season buyout, Taylor never had a productive period with the club, scoring just one goal and adding two assists in just 19 MLS match appearances.
One of those assists came in the April 18 3-3 draw against Toronto FC, which was Taylor's final appearance with the club, while another came in the 2-2 season-opening draw against Minnesota — though it was also his injury and failure to draw the referee's attention in that match that led the Loons to get their match-closing equalizer.
What it means
With Taylor off the team, Austin's down a midfielder but up a senior roster spot — for now. The rumored arrival of former Oxford United winger Przemysław Płacheta would effectively swap Taylor for Płacheta, giving Verde an infusion of speed with a player three years younger than his predecessor. Płacheta arguably has even more positional flexibility than Taylor, which was something that former head coach Nico Estévez and former sporting director Rodolfo Borrell perhaps privileges more than incoming head coach Jim Curtin.
However, save for what would be an unusual move on Płacheta's part to turn down a move to the U.S.'s top-flight league, he'll end up being the last player Borrell secured for Verde assuming the reports are true (which I have on good authority they are).
With both buyouts expended, the theory that underachieving midfielder Besard Šabović would exit by way of buyout before play resumes July 22 is now kaput. There is still the possibility that Šabović could be dealt (or perhaps more likely loaned) to another club during the summer transfer window, though he hasn't exactly been compiling a convincing highlight reel during the first part of this season.
The move also means that despite Borrell's exit, someone — presumably interim head coach Davy Arnaud, with the help of sporting director assistants who have hung on post-Borrell — is still able to move the levers enough to successfully execute MLS roster moves. Whether that can or will extend to summer transfer window deals is something we'll be looking to track in the coming weeks.
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
Austin FC announced that it will be playing the 2027 Coachella Valley Invitational — its fourth straight appearance at the tournament. Here's what we learned about that, and by extension, the sprint season.
Resiliency is the word of the day, as Austin FC rallied from a three-goal deficit to draw San Diego FC and stay in the playoff race. Despite an eight-match unbeaten streak, the postseason could hinge on beating MLS' best team.
Austin FC had a lockdown defense in the first half, was a sieve in the 28 minutes following, and somehow mounted a three-goal comeback to stretch its now-club-record unbeaten streak.
In this new feature celebrating the ways in which soccer entertains us, we look at a generational American talent, laud a creative endorsement deal, and talk about the number 114 and make a prediction about that.
Lionel Messi's former teammate is back on the market.
When Robert Taylor came over from Inter Miami CF to Austin FC in April 2025, his proximity to Messi and the track record that helped him generate — with 13 goals and 10 assists in three seasons plus a sliver of 2025 — made him an appealing acquisition.
Yet, the hefty General Allocation Money (GAM) spend required to get him — $450,000 in 2025 GAM $250,000 in 2026 GAM, and a conditional $50,000 in 2027 GAM — was seen by some as an outsized risk weighed against the production he could realistically bring.
The club admitted as much on Tuesday, putting an end to Taylor's time in Austin, using its second and final buyout of the season to cut ties with what turned out to be an oft-injured and ultimately underproducing player.
Unlike Jáder Obrian, who was cut loose via Verde's first 2026 season buyout, Taylor never had a productive period with the club, scoring just one goal and adding two assists in just 19 MLS match appearances.
One of those assists came in the April 18 3-3 draw against Toronto FC, which was Taylor's final appearance with the club, while another came in the 2-2 season-opening draw against Minnesota — though it was also his injury and failure to draw the referee's attention in that match that led the Loons to get their match-closing equalizer.
What it means
With Taylor off the team, Austin's down a midfielder but up a senior roster spot — for now. The rumored arrival of former Oxford United winger Przemysław Płacheta would effectively swap Taylor for Płacheta, giving Verde an infusion of speed with a player three years younger than his predecessor. Płacheta arguably has even more positional flexibility than Taylor, which was something that former head coach Nico Estévez and former sporting director Rodolfo Borrell perhaps privileges more than incoming head coach Jim Curtin.
However, save for what would be an unusual move on Płacheta's part to turn down a move to the U.S.'s top-flight league, he'll end up being the last player Borrell secured for Verde assuming the reports are true (which I have on good authority they are).
With both buyouts expended, the theory that underachieving midfielder Besard Šabović would exit by way of buyout before play resumes July 22 is now kaput. There is still the possibility that Šabović could be dealt (or perhaps more likely loaned) to another club during the summer transfer window, though he hasn't exactly been compiling a convincing highlight reel during the first part of this season.
The move also means that despite Borrell's exit, someone — presumably interim head coach Davy Arnaud, with the help of sporting director assistants who have hung on post-Borrell — is still able to move the levers enough to successfully execute MLS roster moves. Whether that can or will extend to summer transfer window deals is something we'll be looking to track in the coming weeks.
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
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