SANDY, Utah (Monday, November 30, 2015) – Real Salt Lake announced today that the club has exercised the 2016 contract options on seven players, putting the club’s roster at 21 players. The players whose contracts were picked up include goalkeeper Lalo Fernandez; defenders Abdoulie Mansally and Boyd Okwuonu; midfielders Luke Mulholland and John Stertzer; and forwards Olmes Garcia and Devon Sandoval.
Goalkeepers Nick Rimando and Jeff Attinella; defenders Tony Beltran, Justen Glad and Aaron Maund; midfielders Kyle Beckerman, Sebastian Saucedo and Fito Ovalle; and forwards Juan Manuel Martinez, Joao Plata, Sebastian Jaime and Jordan Allen were already under contract for the 2016 season and midfielder Javier Morales signed a new contract last week. In addition, the club agreed to a new contract with defender Jamison Olave, keeping the Colombian center back with the club for a seventh season.
In eight MLS seasons, Olave, 34, has played 199 matches, including 142 with Real Salt Lake. After playing his first five MLS seasons with RSL, the 2010 MLS Defender of the Year and two-time MLS Best XI selection returned to the Claret-and-Cobalt in 2015 after two seasons with the New York Red Bulls. Last season he played in 22 matches with one goal and one assist.
The club did not exercise options for defenders Phanuel Kavita, Demar Phillips and Elias Vasquez; and midfielder Pecka.
Defender Chris Schuler and midfielders Luis Gil and Luis Silva are currently out of contract for the 2016 season. Per Major League Soccer rules, RSL has until Thursday, Dec. 10 to re-sign any Re-Entry Draft eligible players, including players whose options were not exercised.
