Five Orlando City Players with the Most to Play for in 2024

Since taking over soccer operations in December 2018, Luiz Muzzi has built a squad that has made four consecutive playoff appearances. Orlando City has been able to acquire on-loan starters Wilder Cartagena and Ivan Angulo while keeping Pedro Gallese and Facundo Torres at the club. As a result, the team that finished with the second-best record in MLS last season is back together and should be able to contend for an MLS Cup.

While it’s good for the team that most of the starters are returning, the signings might cause problems for other players. Whether they’ve been on the first team for a while or have yet to break in, a few players need to show this season that they belong as part of the club’s future plans.

Here are five players with the most to play for during the 2024 MLS season.

Jack Lynn

Lynn was drafted with Orlando City’s first pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft (18th overall). The club already had Alexandre Pato, Ercan Kara, and Tesho Akindele, so Lynn was placed with Orlando City B to develop. The rookie had an excellent season with OCB, scoring 15 goals in 18 games. He did even better last season, scoring 19 goals in 26 games for a share of the MLS NEXT Pro golden boot.

Unfortunately, Lynn hasn’t been able to turn his OCB successes into a first-team job. While on the MLS roster, he’s only made six appearances in two seasons with the first team. This past year, he was surpassed by 2023 first-round draft pick Duncan McGuire, who became the team’s starting striker and will likely continue that role in 2024. The club exercised the contract option on the 24-year-old Lynn, and he must prove he can play at the MLS level or he’ll be looking for a new club in 2025.

Abdi Salim

Salim is in a similar position to Lynn, but a year earlier in his professional career. The Lions selected Salim with the 17th overall pick of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft as they looked to build depth at the center back position. The Syracuse product played well during preseason and was on the team sheet regularly at times. However, injuries hurt the defender midseason, resulting in him only making three appearances for the MLS side.

The center back was signed to a one-year contract with options and the club picked up his option for 2024. He’s still young at 22 years old, but right now this is his best chance to prove himself at the MLS level. The club sold Antonio Carlos to Brazilian club Fluminense and has yet to bring in another starter, so Salim could find time off the bench unless another center back is brought in. He was a regular in the OCB starting lineup last year, but he might find himself out of a job if he can’t make that jump in 2024.

Kyle Smith

Smith is the longest-tenured outfield player currently on the Orlando City roster. He previously played for James O’Connor at Louisville City and the former Lions boss brought him to Orlando for the 2019 season. Mainly a right back, Smith can also fill in at left back and center back. This versatility has made him a popular choice for Oscar Pareja.

Unlike Lynn and Salim, Smith has proven himself as an MLS-quality player. He’s made 141 first-team appearances in all competitions over five years with the club. But he’s now 32 years old, so he’s on the wrong side of his prime. The club has brought him in on one-year deals for 2022 and 2023, so they’re cautious with his presence on the team. Additionally, he’s on his option year in 2024, so the club could decide to go younger, leaving the veteran looking for a new home in 2025.

Felipe

Felipe signed with Orlando City last off-season to a one-year deal with an option for 2024. The Brazilian is a veteran in MLS, having made 327 league appearances since his debut in 2012. Orlando City had some questions at defensive midfield going into last season. With Junior Urso departing, Mauricio Pereyra moved into more of an attacking role and Cartagena was brought in on loan. Felipe was brought in to provide some depth and experience to a young side.

While the club still requires depth at the defensive midfield position, the Brazilian will be two years older after the 2024 season than when he first arrived. He’s had a strong MLS career, but he only got a one-year deal heading into 2023. While he might be able to find a contract as a free agent after this coming season, his play this year will go a long way to earning a spot in the league.

Thomas Williams

It might be a bit surprising to see this name on this list because Williams is a Homegrown talent and only 19 years old. However, the center back has seen a drop in playing time for Orlando City and OCB since this past year. Originally signed out of the academy on June 15, 2021, Williams made four appearances with two starts for the senior side in 2022. But he didn’t appear with the first team in 2023 and only made 14 appearances with nine starts for the second team.

It might seem early to quit on a young Homegrown Player, but there is precedent for it. Wilfredo Rivera was signed by Orlando City on March 22, 2021, after an impressive stint with OCB. But the 20-year-old forward was unable to make an impact with the first team, resulting in his option being declined for 2024. If Williams doesn’t improve in 2024, he could see the same fate.

Orlando City is looking to qualify for the MLS Cup playoffs for the fifth straight year in 2024 and improve on an impressive 2023 campaign. The Lions have done well to keep the squad together and should contend this year, but that means some players might be playing for the future. Let us know who you think is entering a critical season in the comment below.