An official signing, a rumored exit, and a cup competition confirmation: Making sense of Tuesday's news
You've maybe heard how "may you live in interesting times" is a curse. Well, Tuesday was an interesting day.
Tuesday was a busy day in Austin FC annals, at least by offseason standards.
First, the Jon Bell signing we broke down yesterday, when it was still just a very credible report, became official – making him the first new incoming Verde player ahead of the 2026 season.
If you watched the North End Podcast livestream yesterday — or, like I did, caught it on replay[[1]] — you're one step ahead here (and also saw some of the FBref charts I shared hours earlier) ... but here are the salient points with the contract.
For now, Bell is on a senior contract, which still leaves Verde thin in that category, for now, though it's very possible that sporting director Rodolfo Borrell is able to GAM that down to a supplemental roster spot by the roster compliance deadline just before the season starts.[[2]]
It's a deal "guaranteed through June 2028 with an option for the 2028-29 season," which is the first time we've seen the new schedule alignment referenced in a contract, which does make me wonder what happens to, say, Nicolás Dubersarsky's contract, which goes through the 2029 season with an option for the 2030 season — seasons that do now not technically exist.
"Jon is a versatile defender who is familiar with MLS and capable of playing in different positions on the backline,” said Borrell in the press release — clearly Borrell speaking candidly and not having a quote crafted for him by the Austin FC comms team. “He is a good addition to our defensive group and we welcome him to Austin.”
One in, one out?
So, if you're bolstering your roster by adding center back depth and some back four to back five formational flexibility, is the next logical move to offload your best-performing designated player in 2025 for about $2 million less in transfer fees than you paid to bring him in 18 months ago, with two guaranteed years left on his contract?
That's the report that came over from Poland yesterday afternoon, which The Athletic's Tom Bogert amplified by evening: Osman Bukari is headed to Widzew Łódź in Poland's top-flight Ekstraklasa for what would be a record Polish transfer fee of around $5 million – markedly less than the $7 million that brought him to Austin from FK Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) in May 2024.
Sources: Austin FC are in talks to transfer Osman Bukari to Widzew Lodz.
Bukari, 27, has 4g/9a in 42 apps with Austin after joining in deal worth around $7m. Departure would open a DP spot.
While Bukari hasn't been quite what optimistic fans might have expected when he was debuted at a Continental Club unveiling I'm still shaking my head about months later, Bukari is the team's most adept one-on-one attacker and was second in assists and goal contributions in 2025 despite playing a third of the season on the wrong (for him) side of the field.
While the team's overall offense may have been ineffective and even dysfunctional at times last season, taking Bukari out of the equation without an immediate replacement actually makes the offense worse, and once Brandon Vázquez is healthy, you might be looking at a front line that has Myrto Uzuni at left wing and Owen Wolff shifted over to right wing, unless you're ready to renew faith in Jáder Obrian.
Or, alternately, head coach Nico Estévez fully commits to the 5-3-2 formation, with Vázquez and Uzuni figuring out how to coexist up top, and deploys Wolff as a nominal 10 to lead a midfield three that probably includes (in a best look at present) Dani Pereira and Besard Šabović. (That projects to me like a bullet train to 44 points and one of the West's final playoff spots.)
(On the aforementioned North End Podcast livestream, starting at about the 28:30 mark, you can see co-host Ian Michaud melting down in real time over the Bukari news. It's a wholly appropriate reaction.)
It also would then introduce the question of whether to go with a three designated player plus thre Under 22 Initiative (U22) player roster build, or opt for the two designated player plus four U22 model, and receive the additional $2 million in GAM that comes with that.
Assuming Wolff gets a U22 tag and stays in Austin for the 2026 season — and perhaps those are bold assumptions? — Borrell could seek out another U22 attacker and then add some TAM players to the mix with the extra funds (which ups my project to 50 points and a more comfortable playoff position, assuming that there's a quality chance creator aside from Wolff in the mix.)
Yo dawg, I heard you like cups
Austin FC also announced on Tuesday that it will be one of a few teams in MLS next season navigating both the U.S. Open Cup and the Leagues Cup. While we know that Austin's Open Cup journey will start in April, with the potential of semifinals Sept. 15 or 16 and a final on Oct. 21 after the majority of the competition is wedged into April and May, Leagues Cup will be played in August and September.
Specifically, it starts Aug. 4, and the final is on Sept. 6. For seeding purposes, Austin will be ranked 24th of the 36 participating teams, including all 18 Liga MX teams and these 17 MLS teams joining Austin:
Charlotte FC
Chicago Fire FC
FC Cincinnati
Columbus Crew
FC Dallas
Inter Miami CF
LAFC
Minnesota United FC
Nashville SC
New York City FC
Orlando City
Philadelphia Union
Portland Timbers
Real Salt Lake
San Diego FC
Seattle Sounders FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
It's a considerably rougher test than Open Cup will be, given the collective level of competition, and it comes at a time of season where roster depth is typically tested, given summer heat, accumulating injuries, and higher playoff stakes attached to matches for contestants. The World Cup break, which won't be a break for some of the league's best players, will shuffle the equation somewhat, but in a year with so much soccer already, those who regard Leagues Cup with "stop trying to match fetch happen" levels of disdain will likely be even more aggrieved with its mere presence in a congested 2026 schedule.
There's no word yet on the group stage schedules or how involved Q2 Stadium will be between Austin and whichever Mexican team might use it as a home base.
[[1]]: Because a mandatory office Christmas party isn't going to celebrate itself!
[[2]]: This past season, it was 8 pm ET the day before the season-opening Saturday, so it can really go right down to the wire.
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.
We know Austin FC's six opponents for the preseason now ... and you can see one of those live in Austin. Also, Dani Pereira will continue to be Verde through most of his twenties.
Having Owen Wolff on a U22 deal is the best roster-building way to have him on a senior roster spot. But, for the time being, Austin FC has no senior roster spots remaining.
Tuesday was a busy day in Austin FC annals, at least by offseason standards.
First, the Jon Bell signing we broke down yesterday, when it was still just a very credible report, became official – making him the first new incoming Verde player ahead of the 2026 season.
If you watched the North End Podcast livestream yesterday — or, like I did, caught it on replay[[1]] — you're one step ahead here (and also saw some of the FBref charts I shared hours earlier) ... but here are the salient points with the contract.
"Jon is a versatile defender who is familiar with MLS and capable of playing in different positions on the backline,” said Borrell in the press release — clearly Borrell speaking candidly and not having a quote crafted for him by the Austin FC comms team. “He is a good addition to our defensive group and we welcome him to Austin.”
One in, one out?
So, if you're bolstering your roster by adding center back depth and some back four to back five formational flexibility, is the next logical move to offload your best-performing designated player in 2025 for about $2 million less in transfer fees than you paid to bring him in 18 months ago, with two guaranteed years left on his contract?
That's the report that came over from Poland yesterday afternoon, which The Athletic's Tom Bogert amplified by evening: Osman Bukari is headed to Widzew Łódź in Poland's top-flight Ekstraklasa for what would be a record Polish transfer fee of around $5 million – markedly less than the $7 million that brought him to Austin from FK Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) in May 2024.
While Bukari hasn't been quite what optimistic fans might have expected when he was debuted at a Continental Club unveiling I'm still shaking my head about months later, Bukari is the team's most adept one-on-one attacker and was second in assists and goal contributions in 2025 despite playing a third of the season on the wrong (for him) side of the field.
While the team's overall offense may have been ineffective and even dysfunctional at times last season, taking Bukari out of the equation without an immediate replacement actually makes the offense worse, and once Brandon Vázquez is healthy, you might be looking at a front line that has Myrto Uzuni at left wing and Owen Wolff shifted over to right wing, unless you're ready to renew faith in Jáder Obrian.
Or, alternately, head coach Nico Estévez fully commits to the 5-3-2 formation, with Vázquez and Uzuni figuring out how to coexist up top, and deploys Wolff as a nominal 10 to lead a midfield three that probably includes (in a best look at present) Dani Pereira and Besard Šabović. (That projects to me like a bullet train to 44 points and one of the West's final playoff spots.)
(On the aforementioned North End Podcast livestream, starting at about the 28:30 mark, you can see co-host Ian Michaud melting down in real time over the Bukari news. It's a wholly appropriate reaction.)
It also would then introduce the question of whether to go with a three designated player plus thre Under 22 Initiative (U22) player roster build, or opt for the two designated player plus four U22 model, and receive the additional $2 million in GAM that comes with that.
Assuming Wolff gets a U22 tag and stays in Austin for the 2026 season — and perhaps those are bold assumptions? — Borrell could seek out another U22 attacker and then add some TAM players to the mix with the extra funds (which ups my project to 50 points and a more comfortable playoff position, assuming that there's a quality chance creator aside from Wolff in the mix.)
Yo dawg, I heard you like cups
Austin FC also announced on Tuesday that it will be one of a few teams in MLS next season navigating both the U.S. Open Cup and the Leagues Cup. While we know that Austin's Open Cup journey will start in April, with the potential of semifinals Sept. 15 or 16 and a final on Oct. 21 after the majority of the competition is wedged into April and May, Leagues Cup will be played in August and September.
Specifically, it starts Aug. 4, and the final is on Sept. 6. For seeding purposes, Austin will be ranked 24th of the 36 participating teams, including all 18 Liga MX teams and these 17 MLS teams joining Austin:
It's a considerably rougher test than Open Cup will be, given the collective level of competition, and it comes at a time of season where roster depth is typically tested, given summer heat, accumulating injuries, and higher playoff stakes attached to matches for contestants. The World Cup break, which won't be a break for some of the league's best players, will shuffle the equation somewhat, but in a year with so much soccer already, those who regard Leagues Cup with "stop trying to match fetch happen" levels of disdain will likely be even more aggrieved with its mere presence in a congested 2026 schedule.
There's no word yet on the group stage schedules or how involved Q2 Stadium will be between Austin and whichever Mexican team might use it as a home base.
[[1]]: Because a mandatory office Christmas party isn't going to celebrate itself!
[[2]]: This past season, it was 8 pm ET the day before the season-opening Saturday, so it can really go right down to the wire.
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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