The San Jose Earthquakes are set to announce the release of two players from their 24-man roster. Central midfielder and El Salvador National Team captain Ramon Sanchez and reserve goalkeeper Andrew Weber have not been training with the team, and an official announcement should come out Wednesday or Thursday.
There was speculation around the Quakes that some player movement would be in order with the arrival of midfielder Sam Cronin from Toronto FC in exchange for allocation money. However, when Andre Luiz was scheduled for season-ending knee surgery and moved to the disabled list, it freed up a roster spot for Cronin. The release of Weber and Sanchez signaled that future signings during the summer transfer window are imminent.
Sanchez made just one start this season, and saw the field for only 83 minutes total over three appearances. Weber did not play any first-team minutes for the Earthquakes this season. Both did play roles with team in 2009, but were not deemed important enough in the Quakes efforts during the current campaign.
With the salary limitations faced by the Earthquakes, no clear plan for how the two empty roster spots will be filled has emerged. Andre Luiz will have his annual salary count against the cap, while the release of Weber and Sanchez does provide some potential relief.