Every San Jose Earthquakes Roster Transaction For The 2018 MLS Season

After qualifying as the number six seed in the Western Conference playoffs in 2017, snapping a five-year postseason absence, the San Jose Earthquakes look to carry that momentum into the 2018 campaign. General manager Jesse Fioranelli, who took over the role in January 2017, continues his four-year plan to build an effective roster, one that can compete for MLS Cup year in and year out. New head coach Mikael Stahre, who replaced Chris Leitch in November, will guide the team to start the season.

Below are listed the noteworthy transactions that are shaping the 2018 roster. These include players that have been dropped ahead of the new season, as well as updates on those that have joined the Quakes through transfers, trades, drafts, and new contracts. At the end of the page is an updated look at the current roster, broken down by position. The list and the roster will be updated throughout the 2018 MLS regular season.

3/16/2018 — On cue, the Earthquakes used their open International roster spot to sign first-round MLS SuperDraft selection Paul Marie to a rookie contract. Marie was immediately loaned to USL affiliate Reno 1868 FC, which allows the Quakes to sign another International player down the road as long as the defender does not return to the first team. (LINK)

3/14/2018 — Jahmir Hyka becomes the third Earthquakes player this year to receive his U.S. green card. The 30 year old Albanian national team midfielder no longer will occupy an International spot on the team’s roster. The Quakes now have one open spot to work with; they’ll likely use it to complete the signing of first-round draft selection Paul Marie. (LINK)

3/1/2018 — The Quakes signed two of their four 2018 MLS SuperDraft picks to rookie contracts. Forwards Mohamed Thiaw and Danny Musovski have impressed this preseason and earned their places on the roster. First round selection Paul Marie has yet to be signed, as Fioranelli indicated earlier in the week that there were some eligibility issues surrounding his roster status. (LINK)

2/27/2018 — One day before the team is required to be fully roster compliant, general manager Jesse Fioranelli announced that both Florian Jungwirth and Anibal Godoy had received their U.S. Green Cards and will no longer occupy International Player roster spots on the 2018 roster. Fioranelli said that compliance had been achieved earlier in the preseason. (LINK)

2/16/2018 — In a decision that was expected, the Quakes waived midfielder Simon Dawkins two years after signing him to a lucrative Designated Player contract. The Jamaican international never fully recaptured the excitement of his first stint in San Jose from 2011 to 2012, which was capped off with a Supporters’ Shield season, so the club exercised its once-per-year option to buy out his guaranteed contract, removing him from the salary budget roster. (LINK)

1/26/2018 — Making history again this off-season, the Earthquakes signed 15-year-old Academy midfielder Gilbert Fuentes to a Homegrown Player contract, earning him the distinction as the youngest ever signing by the club. Jacob Akanyirige, who is less than 2 months older than Fuentes, held the youngest-ever signing title since signing his Homegrown Player contract last December. (LINK)

1/21/2018 — The Earthquakes completed their 2018 MLS SuperDraft picks with the selection of UNLV midfielder Kevin Partida (#58 overall). The 22-year-old was a college teammate of second round selection Danny Musovski, as well as a former Burlingame Dragons player. (LINK)

1/20/2018 — A day after trading Darwin Ceren to Houston, the Quakes replaced the midfielder on their roster with 20-year-old U.S. youth international Eric Calvillo. The former New York Cosmos starter is a right-footed box-to-box midfielder. (LINK)

1/19/2018 — The 2018 MLS SuperDraft provided the Quakes with three picks in the first two rounds: defender Paul Marie (#12 overall), forward Daniel Musovski (#30 overall), and forward Mohamed Thiaw (#35 overall). All three players will have the chance to earn an MLS contract based on their performances during the preseason. (LINK)

1/19/2018 — San Jose sheds a midfielder by trading Darwin Ceren to the Houston Dynamo, receiving $100,000 in GAM and $75,000 in TAM this season and potentially an additional $50,000 in GAM in 2019 based on his performance next season. The Salvadoran national team regular held a green card, so he didn’t count as an International Player on the roster. The Quakes still have 11 Internationals under contract, but only 8 slots to work with. More moves will be necessary. (LINK)

1/17/2018 — The Quakes continue to stock up on players whose names begin with Q. In its first move of 2018, San Jose acquires 21-year-old center back Yeferson Quintana on loan from Uruguayan Champions Peñarol. The deal is for one year with an option to buy the defenders contract ahead of next season. Quintana will take an International Roster Spot on the roster. (LINK)

12/29/2017 — The Earthquakes complete the transfer of forward Danny Hoesen from Dutch side FC Groningen. The 26-year-old was then signed using Targeted Allocation Money to a multi-year contract. The Dutch-Moroccan striker, who will take an International Roster Spot, finished 2017 with eight goals and five assists in all competitions. (LINK)

12/20/2017 — San Jose sign midfielder/forward Magnus Eriksson to a Designated Player contract. The 27-year-old was the top scorer in the Swedish top-flight Allsvenskan last season with 14 goals and seven assists. The Swedish native has found success in his career as both a forward and a midfielder. He represents the fourth DP on the current Quakes roster, one more than the league limit, so he or another of the current DPs — Chris Wondolowski, Simon Dawkins, or Valeri “Vako” Qazaishvili — will need to have his contract bought down ahead of the season opener in order for San Jose to be roster compliant. (LINK)

12/18/2017 — The rights to goalkeeper David Bingham was traded to the LA Galaxy for $100,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) and $100,000 in Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) in 2018. The Galaxy signed the 7-year veteran on January 10, and he is widely expected to be LA’s starting goalkeeper. The Quakes can also receive an additional $50,000 in GAM in 2019 based on his performance this season. (LINK)

12/15/2017 — The Quakes make Jacob Akanyirige the fourth Homegrown Player signing in the club’s history. Just 16 years old, the Pleasanton, California native completed the 2017-18 season playing as a defender for the Earthquakes Academy U-19 team. As a HG player, Akanyirige will not have his contract counted against San Jose’s salary budget. (LINK)

12/14/2017 — San Jose signs three players who featured for their USL affiliate Reno 1868 FC in 2017 to MLS contracts. Defender Jimmy Ockford, who previously played in the league with the Seattle Sounders, and midfielders Luis Felipe and Chris Wehan, MLS newcomers, helped Reno tally a 17-7-8 record and reach the USL playoffs in the club’s inaugural season. (LINK)

12/13/2017 — Defender Kip Colvey was selected by the Colorado Rapids in the 2017 MLS Waiver Draft. The New Zealand international defender had his contract option declined earlier in the month. He reunites with former Kiwi’s national team coach Anthony Hudson in Colorado. (LINK)

12/12/2017 — Forward Marco Urena was selected by Los Angeles FC in the 2017 Expansion Draft. The Costa Rican international scored five goals in his lone season in San Jose, including the stoppage time goal against Minnesota United in the the last game of the season that propelled the Quakes into the MLS Cup playoffs for the first time in five years. (LINK)

12/6/2017 — The Earthquakes sign U.S. U-20 goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski to a Homegrown Player contract. The Quakes Academdy product led Georgetown to two Big East Championships in his three years of collegiate soccer. Marcinkowski could challenge incumbent Andrew Tarbell for the team’s starting goalkeeper assignment. (LINK)

12/1/2017 — Left back Joel Qwiberg signs a multi-year contract with the Earthquakes after leading Swedish second division side IF Brommapojkarna to promotion to the top-tier Allsvenskan. Born in Bogata, Colombia, the 25-year-old was raised in Sweden and has played there for almost his entire career. (LINK)

11/30/2017 — Anibal Godoy is re-signed to a multi-year contract following a successful two-and-a-half seasons with the club. The 27-year-old has been a mainstay for the Quakes in the center of the midfield, a role he plays for Panama on the international stage. Godoy will lead Los Canaleros to its first-ever FIFA World Cup Finals this summer in Russia. (LINK)

11/27/2017 — The Quakes announce a flurry of roster moves one month after losing in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs 5-0 to the Vancouver Whitecaps. Goalkeepers Matt Bersano and Andrew Tarbell, and midfielders Fatai Alashe, Darwin Ceren and Anibal Godoy had their contract options exercised for 2018. The Earthquakes choose not to exercise options on seven players: defenders Victor Bernardez and Kip Colvey, midfielders Cordell Cato, Lindo Mfeka, Marc Pelosi and Matheus Silva, and forward Danny Hoesen. The following players are not under contract for the 2018 season: goalkeeper David Bingham and defenders Andres Imperiale and Kofi Sarkodie. (LINK)

San Jose Earthquakes 2018 MLS roster

Goalkeeper (3): Matt Bersano, JT Marcinkowski (HG), Andrew Tarbell.

Defender (9): Francois Affolter (INT'L), Jacob Akanyirige (HG), Harold Cummings (INT'L), Florian Jungwirth, Nick Lima (HG), Paul Marie (INT’L), Jimmy Ockford, Yeferson Quintana (INT’L), Joel Qwiberg (INT’L).

Midfielder (12): Eric Calvillo, Fatai Alashe, Magnus Eriksson (DP, INT’L), Luis Felipe, Gilbert Fuentes (HG), Anibal Godoy, Jahmir Hyka, Valeri “Vako” Qazaishvili (DP, INT'L), Shea Salinas, Tommy Thompson (HG), Chris Wehan, Jackson Yueill (GA)

Forward (5): Quincy Amarikwa, Danny Hoesen (INT'L), Daniel Musovski, Mohamed Thiaw, Chris Wondolowski (DP)

(HG) = Homegrown Player Signing, (GA) = Generation Adidas, (INT’L) = International Player, (DP) = Designated Player, (UD) = unsigned MLS SuperDraft pick