Will left back be a Zan Birosales-variety Voltron? Or are more moves following the reported Joseph Rosales trade?
The 25-year-old Honduran wingback is reportedly coming to Austin FC for $1.5 million in either GAM or cash. But what does that pickup mean for the rest of the roster — particularly the left backs?
Though Austin FC has not yet confirmed this, both the Athletic's Tom Bogert and the Pioneer-Press are reporting that Minnesota United left back Joseph Rosales is becoming Verde in either a GAM-for-player or cash-for-player trade for a hefty $1.5 million sum.
While Rosales can also play midfield, he's primarily a left back and left wingback, which is a curious move for Austin to make, given that it already has two and maybe even three players able to play that position.
All-Star Guilherme Biro has been the first-choice left back for much of 2025, but he's also had some questionable play and judgment at points — especially following his All-Star appearance — that led head coach Nico Estévez to rely on Žan Kolmanič in tandem with Biro down the stretch and into the playoffs. Of course, Jon Gallagher is also able to play left back.
So, while it doesn't seem like an area of need for Austin, Rosales is arguably an upgrade over anyone currently on the Verde roster at that position. He's also argubly a better counterweight to Mikkel Desler — especially if Estévez does deploy more of a back-five look in 2026, with the possibility of Biro being retained and positioned as a left center back to Rosales' left wingback. (I'm looking for "elbow back," meaning a player that flexes between outside center back and fullback as a fullback goes up the wing, to be one of the defining catch phrases of the '26 season.)
This could be a move to create a three-player Voltron — Žan Birosales, if you will – but this could also be a indicator that one of the two current first-choice left backs might be playing elsewhere in '26.
Here's a video the Loons put together telling his story as the '25 season commenced, if you want to put a face and a voice to the name:
Initially, I'm intrigued by this move but also a little concerned and a little perplexed by the cash or GAM outlay. Let's start where I like to start in these matters. To the charts!
Let's chart it up
First of all, here's 2025 Rosales compared to players in multiple leagues comparable to MLS, as we're at that point of the year where Rosales' last 365 days chart on FBref reflects his 2025 output, measured against all Men's Next 14 Competitions:
And here's how he directly compares to 2025 Biro, showing that Rosales is more offense-minded and finds himself upfield even more often than Biro does:
And, to get an even better sense of who Rosales is, here's his 2024 MLS comparison chart (before Anthony Markanich really pushed him for minutes; Rosales had 1451 minutes in 25 appearances in 2025, whereas Markanich, fresh from St. Louis, had 1902 minutes in 31 appearances on a supplemental spot.)
Save for the pass completion — which improved from around 69% to around 74% in 2025, this is enticing. Let's give you just his 2025 MLS chart as well:
He's still just 25, so there's hope that more minutes and a fresh start in Austin, plus a different system, could elevate Rosales to 2024 levels.
For fun, here's 2025 Rosales compared to 2025 Desler.
That has all sorts of "you complete me" vibes.
And here's one more for fun.
You see, Jordi Alba's really not much of a defender.
What concerns me
So, you might recall that Joseph Rosales incurred a three-match suspension in May for "discriminatory language," as the league termed it, targeted against Emmanuel Sabbi of Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the tail end of Minnesota's 3-1 loss to the eventual Western Conference champs on April 27.
His suspension included an Open Cup match, meaning he was able to return (and got in as a sub) for the Loons' May 24 match hosting Austin, which finished as a 1-1 draw.
"I am addressing the recent three-game suspension issued by the league. I want to be clear: I did not use any discriminatory language. However, I acknowledge that my actions contributed to escalating tensions of the field. And for that, I sincerely apologize to the opposing player and to everyone affected.
"While I disagree with the league's decision to suspend me because I believe it was based on a misinterpretation, I respect their process and their commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive environment. I have always taken this situation seriously and am committed to doing everything I can to support a respectful and inclusive game."
Also, per MLS, "Reinstatement following the suspension is contingent upon his participation in a restorative practices program."
Then, in Minnesota's third and deciding playoff match against Seattle — which it eked out in a dramatic PK sequence that went to goalkeeper vs. goalkeeper — Rosales got himself ejected by referee Victor Rivas close to halftime, for headbutting Jesus Ferreira at the tail end of a Loons attack, seemingly retaliation for Ferreira's aggressive defense on the play. (Drop to the bottom of this recap and start the video at the two-minute mark to see it play out.)
These two incidents together give me reason for character concern. But are these founded? Let's bring in an expert, who was nice enough to exchange emails with me on Sunday morning.
An expert provides perspective
I put some questions before Wes Burdine, longtime soccer writer, Loons observer, and owner of The Black Hart of Saint Paul, one of the greatest soccer bars on Earth.
First of all, what kind of player is Austin getting in Joseph Rosales? What should we expect in defense and in offense?
Rosales is a quick, skillful ball player, but at MNUFC at least, he was a bit out of place. He came in as a left-sided midfielder, then in our new system was pushed back to LB and LWB. Then later, he was moved into midfield to create a bit. And he just never seemed to thrive in any of these spots. I think there is a real chance that he could thrive in another system. I wouldn't expect him to solve Austin's chance creation problem, but he could be a part of that certainly. And he has good dead ball delivery.
As best as you can gauge, what's the initial fan reaction to Rosales leaving?
I think if it didn't come on the heels of losing [Dayne] St. Clair, losing Rosales wouldn't be a big deal. The Loons are getting cash for him, so that's a good deal. And he never became essential to the lineup. But right now there's just general frustration in the fanbase, so I think people were more upset by this deal than they might be otherwise. He ended his season with a stupid red card and ... he had an "inconclusive" allegation of racism against him, which soured a lot of people on him.
The report is that it's either a GAM or a cash trade — the latter seems more likely given Austin's recent Jayden Nelson acquisition — for $1.5 million. Is that a fair price for Rosales, or are the Loons maybe taking advantage of Austin a little bit?
No. I think that's fair. I certainly don't have a great sense of just what someone is worth, but if he becomes a regular contributor that seems a good deal to me.
I understand that he's primarily a left back but can also play as a wide or central midfielder ... how effective is he in those midfield positions?
My totally from the hip guess (not knowing Austin well at all) is that he is being brought in as a wide player to help create a bit and that his versatility is the biggest plus here. And while I wouldn't say he's ineffective in any of those three roles, I think his defensive work is the most suspect part of his game. He really likes the ball at his feet in a wide position.
(So, in a true 4-3-3, this would be a Biro/Rosales/Nelson left side, with questions about where to slot in Mytro Uzuni and Owen Wolff.)
He did have the three-game suspension assessed in May for discriminatory language against Emmanuel Sabbi of Vancouver; at the time, he disputed it was discriminatory language but acknowledged escalating the conflict? What more do we know about that incident, and was that a surprising one-time thing, or are there hints otherwise that this could be an issue with him in Austin?
We know nothing. It happened, no one knows what happened. Honestly, I have no sense of how to judge [Central and] South American racism because you've got centuries and layers of culture and history that are beyond me. But I will say I just soured on him. Maybe he did absolutely nothing and he said a word that Sabbi heard wrong. But it continued to make me less excited about seeing him on the pitch.
With Tani Olewasuyi having departed in the summer, Dayne St. Clair off to Miami, and now Rosales apparently out, it seems like a time of change (and not in the good way) in St. Paul — are there indications that the Loons' front office will sufficiently reload, or are y'all bracing for a down year in 2026?
Loons have gone through a massive and thorough remodeling under [head coach] Eric Ramsay. Only five players remain from two seasons ago. The Tani loss was understandable: If you get $9.5 million for a player going to a [UEFA] Champions League team, you take it.
But I think losing him (and the utter incompetent ref in the USOC match between Austin and Minnesota about which I am not still angry so please don't ask about it[[1]]) meant that Minnesota sold off their real chance at a trophy. Losing Dayne to Miami for free is just infuriating. It took me from feeling really positive about the end of the season to feeling like we're gonna finish 7th. Obviously we'll see what happens in the offseason, but if we don't get a DP striker and a Sean Johnson in goal, I'm going to be really upset.
What it all means
Initially, Estévez will need to help sort out whatever might need to be sorted out between Rosales and Nelson (Sabbi's former teammate), as well as whatever possessed Rosales to headbutt Ferreira (arguably understandable) in a win-or-go-home playoff match (totally baffling).
Certainly, if you're sporting director Rodolfo Borrell, you don't drop $1.5 million on a wingback unless there's belief in the player and a greater overall design to make the player work within the overall roster built.
Rosales made $535,000 in base salary and $579,702 in guaranteed compensation last year, so the team is getting faster and better without dipping into TAM territory, but certainly this makes it more likely that there's at least one player leaving via trade or buyout.
Unless Borrell is a total Scrooge and cuts a player loose right before Christmas, I'd expect Robert Taylor ($575,000 base salary/$633,333 guaranteed compensation, primarily a left winger) to be bought out by year's end to allow him a chance to find another team while Borrell secures the left side of the field with more proven and younger MLS players. (Taylor is also 31 and declining in Transfermarkt projected value while Rosales and Nelson's are steadier and at a higher overall value.)
Rosales could be an asset and could even become a fan favorite ... but from my perspective, this is slightly more of a higher risk/higher reward move than Nelson, yet possibly, ultimately, the defining offseason move for Austin FC heading into 2026.
[[1]]: Agree to disagree!
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.
Three players were acquired by Austin FC on Thursday. One is a young, speedy winger with roster-changing potential. The other two are SuperDraft picks likely bound for VerDos.
There are some names you wouldn't believe on the current list of available MLS free agents. But how many of those names would be good on the back of a Heartbeat Kit?
Though Austin FC has not yet confirmed this, both the Athletic's Tom Bogert and the Pioneer-Press are reporting that Minnesota United left back Joseph Rosales is becoming Verde in either a GAM-for-player or cash-for-player trade for a hefty $1.5 million sum.
While Rosales can also play midfield, he's primarily a left back and left wingback, which is a curious move for Austin to make, given that it already has two and maybe even three players able to play that position.
All-Star Guilherme Biro has been the first-choice left back for much of 2025, but he's also had some questionable play and judgment at points — especially following his All-Star appearance — that led head coach Nico Estévez to rely on Žan Kolmanič in tandem with Biro down the stretch and into the playoffs. Of course, Jon Gallagher is also able to play left back.
So, while it doesn't seem like an area of need for Austin, Rosales is arguably an upgrade over anyone currently on the Verde roster at that position. He's also argubly a better counterweight to Mikkel Desler — especially if Estévez does deploy more of a back-five look in 2026, with the possibility of Biro being retained and positioned as a left center back to Rosales' left wingback. (I'm looking for "elbow back," meaning a player that flexes between outside center back and fullback as a fullback goes up the wing, to be one of the defining catch phrases of the '26 season.)
This could be a move to create a three-player Voltron — Žan Birosales, if you will – but this could also be a indicator that one of the two current first-choice left backs might be playing elsewhere in '26.
Here's a video the Loons put together telling his story as the '25 season commenced, if you want to put a face and a voice to the name:
Initially, I'm intrigued by this move but also a little concerned and a little perplexed by the cash or GAM outlay. Let's start where I like to start in these matters. To the charts!
Let's chart it up
First of all, here's 2025 Rosales compared to players in multiple leagues comparable to MLS, as we're at that point of the year where Rosales' last 365 days chart on FBref reflects his 2025 output, measured against all Men's Next 14 Competitions:
And here's how he directly compares to 2025 Biro, showing that Rosales is more offense-minded and finds himself upfield even more often than Biro does:
And, to get an even better sense of who Rosales is, here's his 2024 MLS comparison chart (before Anthony Markanich really pushed him for minutes; Rosales had 1451 minutes in 25 appearances in 2025, whereas Markanich, fresh from St. Louis, had 1902 minutes in 31 appearances on a supplemental spot.)
Save for the pass completion — which improved from around 69% to around 74% in 2025, this is enticing. Let's give you just his 2025 MLS chart as well:
He's still just 25, so there's hope that more minutes and a fresh start in Austin, plus a different system, could elevate Rosales to 2024 levels.
For fun, here's 2025 Rosales compared to 2025 Desler.
That has all sorts of "you complete me" vibes.
And here's one more for fun.
You see, Jordi Alba's really not much of a defender.
What concerns me
So, you might recall that Joseph Rosales incurred a three-match suspension in May for "discriminatory language," as the league termed it, targeted against Emmanuel Sabbi of Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the tail end of Minnesota's 3-1 loss to the eventual Western Conference champs on April 27.
His suspension included an Open Cup match, meaning he was able to return (and got in as a sub) for the Loons' May 24 match hosting Austin, which finished as a 1-1 draw.
Here's his account of what happened, per ESPN:
"I am addressing the recent three-game suspension issued by the league. I want to be clear: I did not use any discriminatory language. However, I acknowledge that my actions contributed to escalating tensions of the field. And for that, I sincerely apologize to the opposing player and to everyone affected.
"While I disagree with the league's decision to suspend me because I believe it was based on a misinterpretation, I respect their process and their commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive environment. I have always taken this situation seriously and am committed to doing everything I can to support a respectful and inclusive game."
Also, per MLS, "Reinstatement following the suspension is contingent upon his participation in a restorative practices program."
Then, in Minnesota's third and deciding playoff match against Seattle — which it eked out in a dramatic PK sequence that went to goalkeeper vs. goalkeeper — Rosales got himself ejected by referee Victor Rivas close to halftime, for headbutting Jesus Ferreira at the tail end of a Loons attack, seemingly retaliation for Ferreira's aggressive defense on the play. (Drop to the bottom of this recap and start the video at the two-minute mark to see it play out.)
These two incidents together give me reason for character concern. But are these founded? Let's bring in an expert, who was nice enough to exchange emails with me on Sunday morning.
An expert provides perspective
I put some questions before Wes Burdine, longtime soccer writer, Loons observer, and owner of The Black Hart of Saint Paul, one of the greatest soccer bars on Earth.
First of all, what kind of player is Austin getting in Joseph Rosales? What should we expect in defense and in offense?
Rosales is a quick, skillful ball player, but at MNUFC at least, he was a bit out of place. He came in as a left-sided midfielder, then in our new system was pushed back to LB and LWB. Then later, he was moved into midfield to create a bit. And he just never seemed to thrive in any of these spots. I think there is a real chance that he could thrive in another system. I wouldn't expect him to solve Austin's chance creation problem, but he could be a part of that certainly. And he has good dead ball delivery.
As best as you can gauge, what's the initial fan reaction to Rosales leaving?
I think if it didn't come on the heels of losing [Dayne] St. Clair, losing Rosales wouldn't be a big deal. The Loons are getting cash for him, so that's a good deal. And he never became essential to the lineup. But right now there's just general frustration in the fanbase, so I think people were more upset by this deal than they might be otherwise. He ended his season with a stupid red card and ... he had an "inconclusive" allegation of racism against him, which soured a lot of people on him.
The report is that it's either a GAM or a cash trade — the latter seems more likely given Austin's recent Jayden Nelson acquisition — for $1.5 million. Is that a fair price for Rosales, or are the Loons maybe taking advantage of Austin a little bit?
No. I think that's fair. I certainly don't have a great sense of just what someone is worth, but if he becomes a regular contributor that seems a good deal to me.
I understand that he's primarily a left back but can also play as a wide or central midfielder ... how effective is he in those midfield positions?
My totally from the hip guess (not knowing Austin well at all) is that he is being brought in as a wide player to help create a bit and that his versatility is the biggest plus here. And while I wouldn't say he's ineffective in any of those three roles, I think his defensive work is the most suspect part of his game. He really likes the ball at his feet in a wide position.
(So, in a true 4-3-3, this would be a Biro/Rosales/Nelson left side, with questions about where to slot in Mytro Uzuni and Owen Wolff.)
He did have the three-game suspension assessed in May for discriminatory language against Emmanuel Sabbi of Vancouver; at the time, he disputed it was discriminatory language but acknowledged escalating the conflict? What more do we know about that incident, and was that a surprising one-time thing, or are there hints otherwise that this could be an issue with him in Austin?
We know nothing. It happened, no one knows what happened. Honestly, I have no sense of how to judge [Central and] South American racism because you've got centuries and layers of culture and history that are beyond me. But I will say I just soured on him. Maybe he did absolutely nothing and he said a word that Sabbi heard wrong. But it continued to make me less excited about seeing him on the pitch.
With Tani Olewasuyi having departed in the summer, Dayne St. Clair off to Miami, and now Rosales apparently out, it seems like a time of change (and not in the good way) in St. Paul — are there indications that the Loons' front office will sufficiently reload, or are y'all bracing for a down year in 2026?
Loons have gone through a massive and thorough remodeling under [head coach] Eric Ramsay. Only five players remain from two seasons ago. The Tani loss was understandable: If you get $9.5 million for a player going to a [UEFA] Champions League team, you take it.
But I think losing him (and the utter incompetent ref in the USOC match between Austin and Minnesota about which I am not still angry so please don't ask about it[[1]]) meant that Minnesota sold off their real chance at a trophy. Losing Dayne to Miami for free is just infuriating. It took me from feeling really positive about the end of the season to feeling like we're gonna finish 7th. Obviously we'll see what happens in the offseason, but if we don't get a DP striker and a Sean Johnson in goal, I'm going to be really upset.
What it all means
Initially, Estévez will need to help sort out whatever might need to be sorted out between Rosales and Nelson (Sabbi's former teammate), as well as whatever possessed Rosales to headbutt Ferreira (arguably understandable) in a win-or-go-home playoff match (totally baffling).
Certainly, if you're sporting director Rodolfo Borrell, you don't drop $1.5 million on a wingback unless there's belief in the player and a greater overall design to make the player work within the overall roster built.
Rosales made $535,000 in base salary and $579,702 in guaranteed compensation last year, so the team is getting faster and better without dipping into TAM territory, but certainly this makes it more likely that there's at least one player leaving via trade or buyout.
Unless Borrell is a total Scrooge and cuts a player loose right before Christmas, I'd expect Robert Taylor ($575,000 base salary/$633,333 guaranteed compensation, primarily a left winger) to be bought out by year's end to allow him a chance to find another team while Borrell secures the left side of the field with more proven and younger MLS players. (Taylor is also 31 and declining in Transfermarkt projected value while Rosales and Nelson's are steadier and at a higher overall value.)
Rosales could be an asset and could even become a fan favorite ... but from my perspective, this is slightly more of a higher risk/higher reward move than Nelson, yet possibly, ultimately, the defining offseason move for Austin FC heading into 2026.
[[1]]: Agree to disagree!
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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