Five-Month Rental Agreement Nets Out at $235,000 Cost for Claret-and-Cobalt
HERRIMAN, Utah (Tuesday, February 3, 2026) – Real Salt Lake announced today that the Club has acquired a 2026 international roster slot from Austin FC in exchange for $235,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money (GAM). As part of the agreement, and pursuant to Major League Soccer’s recently announced 2026 Roster Rules changes, the international roster slot will return to Austin at the opening of this year’s Secondary MLS Transfer Window (July 13, 2026).
Earlier today, RSL announced the arrival of a new Designated Player, Guinean international FW Morgan Guilavogui. His arrival from RC Lens (France Ligue 1) comes on the heels of recent additions MF Stijn Spierings (Brøndby IF, Danish Superliga), DF Lukas Engel (Middlesbrough, EFL Championship) and FW Sergi Solans (UCLA, former MLS SuperDraft pick in 2025).
TRANSACTION: On Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, Real Salt Lake acquires a 2026 MLS International Spot from Austin FC in exchange for $235,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money (GAM).
RSL players, coaches and staff returned late Sunday night after two weeks in Lagos, Portugal, in the Algarve region, where the Claret-and-Cobalt had spent a portion of the 2024 preseason. Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s side has played three games over 13 days in the back half of January as part of the annual Atlantic Cup tourney, winning each of its first two matches against Danish SuperLiga sides Randers FC (2-1 on Thu., Jan. 22) and Bröndby IF (2-1 on Mon., Jan. 26), with Dominik Marczuk, Tyler Wolff, an unnamed trialist and Alex Katranis finding the back of the net. U.S. World Cup hopeful Diego Luna had multiple assists in the first two matches, while Noel Caliskan and Sam Junqua have also set up RSL scores.
RSL concluded its Iberian peninsula experience Friday afternoon against fellow MLS Western Conference foe FC Dallas falling 0-2 in the 90-minute match and drawing 1-1 in an extra 45 minutes of competition, prior to completing its 24-hour door-to-door travels.
After spending most of this first week of February back in Utah, the Claret-and-Cobalt then wrap up its 22nd preseason slate with two games in Southern California, facing off against DF Kobi Henry’s former USL Championship side, Orange County SC (this Saturday, Feb. 7), as well as MLS Cup 2024 champions LA Galaxy (Fri., Feb. 13), the latter match being played outside of Palm Springs, Calif. Late preseason arrivals Victor Olatunji and Ari Piol, as well as other newly-acquired RSL players, including Stijn Spierings and Sergi Solans, could feature extensively in the California portion of preseason.
RSL kicks off its 2026 Major League Soccer campaign on Sat., Feb. 21 at B.C. Place, home of the reigning Western Conference champion, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, one week prior to the Claret-and-Cobalt’s 2026 home opener at America First Field against long-time rival Seattle Sounders FC on Sat., Feb. 28. Both of RSL’s February games kick off at 5:30p MT, with season ticket and four-game packages NOW AVAILABLE at www.RSL.com/tickets.
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