Major League Soccer is mourning the passing of Charlotte FC defender Anton Walkes, who passed away early Thursday morning following an accident in South Florida. He was 25 years old.
Walkes, an England native, turned pro in 2016 after developing in Tottenham Hotspur's academy. He played in 93 MLS games, also spending three seasons (2017, 2020-21) at Atlanta United. Charlotte selected Walkes in the 2021 MLS Expansion Draft, incorporating the center back into their debut campaign.
Charlotte FC owner David Tepper issued the following statement:
"Everyone at Tepper Sports & Entertainment is devastated by the tragic passing of Anton Walkes. He was a tremendous son, father, partner and teammate whose joyous approach to life touched everyone he met. Anton made those around him better people in all areas of life and represented Charlotte FC to the highest standard both on and off the pitch. He will be greatly missed by many and our thoughts and prayers are with Anton’s family during this heartbreaking time. The club offers its full support to all those impacted during this period of mourning."
Major League Soccer issued the following statement:
"There are no words to describe the sorrow of everyone in Major League Soccer today after learning of the tragic passing of Anton Walkes of Charlotte FC. Anton was a talented and dedicated player who was loved by his teammates and fans. We extend our deepest condolences to his partner, family, friends and the entire Charlotte FC family. MLS is coordinating with Charlotte FC to provide players and family members with the resources and support they may need during this tragic time."
New England Revolution sign Blessing, Romney to contract extensions
The New England Revolution have signed midfielder Latif Blessing and defender Dave Romney to new contracts. Both players, who were acquired earlier this month in trades, inked two-year contracts through the 2024 MLS season with a club option for 2025. The deals used Targeted Allocation Money (TAM).
Pomykal signs long-term extension with FC Dallas
Dallas have locked down homegrown midfielder Paxton Pomykal with a long-term contract, announcing Wednesday he’s signed a new deal through the 2026 MLS season with a club option for 2027. The 23-year-old is FCD’s longest-serving player after initially turning pro during the 2016 season. He has four goals and 12 assists in 102 regular-season games (72 starts) for the club.
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For folks who are new around here, I’m writing this from Atlanta. I might be wrong, but I think it’s likely I have a claim to “most words written about Josef Martínez readily available on the internet.” There’s stuff going back to 2017 and Atlanta United’s first season and my last year in undergrad. A lot of those experiences are blended together and swirled around in my head at this point, but I do know Josef is often at the center of the abstract that shows up when I think about them. For me, peak Josef is the most exciting athlete I’ve been around. And that’s exactly why it’s for the best that he’s moving on.
Drive around Atlanta proper at any point in the last few years, and you could turn the corner from a mural or billboard of Josef and run into another mural or billboard of Josef. In the city, his gravity pulled harder than anyone else’s. When it's peak Josef and he’s scoring 15 games in a row or breaking the MLS scoring record, that orbit is a fascinating place to be. When it’s not peak Josef, and he’s occasionally finding the net while struggling to offer more than a half-hearted defensive effort or any kind of off ball run, that orbit is still totally fascinating. It’s also frustrating. Everyone involved wants it to be like 2019 and that’s just not going to happen. Even if every now and then you see something amazing again.
For Atlanta United, it’s not worth it to keep hoping for a total return to form. We’re nearly three years on from Josef’s ACL tear and a few months removed from yet another surgery to clean up issues with that same knee. Internal drama aside, you can’t expect him to return to full form and produce at a DP level. Internal drama front and center, Josef’s gravity collapsed in on itself last year. It was time to move on. Even if no one will ever be used to seeing him in bright pink.
For Inter Miami, it’s definitely a choice to give him a max TAM deal. However, are you really going to doubt a version of Josef with a new lease on life? Maybe in classic fresh-start fashion, he focuses on himself for a while and turns into a hyper-effective piece for Inter Miami in the same way Gonzalo Higuain seemed to have it all click at the end of last season. It kind of feels like they’re banking on exactly that. It will be interesting to see how they work him into a lineup that already has Leo Campana at striker, but there are worse bets to make than giving Josef Martinez a year to prove he can still make an impact.
The next striker in Atlanta won’t be a like-for-like replacement. They can’t be. Josef was a unicorn introduced to the city at the perfect moment. No one could have guessed a backup left winger from Torino would turn into the single-most productive striker in MLS history over a three-year period.
But finding a player who can wreak havoc in the box and offer a boost to the Five Stripes’ league-worst press will raise the team’s floor. A renewed Josef raise’s Miami’s ceiling. And in the end, it just might work out for everybody.
Orlando City transfer Mulraney to Ireland's St Patrick's Athletic: Orlando City SC and Irish top-flight side St Patrick's Athletic have reached a transfer agreement for winger Jake Mulraney. Mulraney had played in MLS since the 2020 season, first for Atlanta United before getting traded to Orlando last May. He tallied three goals and four assists across 64 league games (32 starts).
USA January camp roster released: The US men’s national team have called in 24 players for their annual January camp, which officially begins the buildup to the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil and includes friendlies against Serbia (Jan. 25) and Colombia (Jan. 28) at MLS venues – first at LAFC's Banc of California Stadium and then at LA Galaxy's Dignity Health Sports Park.
6 MLS players named to Colombia roster for post-World Cup friendly vs. USMNT: Colombia have called in six MLS players for their friendly vs. the USMNT on Jan. 28 at Dignity Health Sports Park, home of the LA Galaxy. The MLS-based group, assembled as manager Néstor Lorenzo continues Los Cafeteros' new phase, includes two strikers: Cucho Hernández (Columbus Crew) and Cristian Arango (LAFC). There are also two attacking midfielders (New England’s Dylan Borrero and Portland’s Santiago Moreno), plus two defenders (New York’s Andrés Reyes and Portland’s Juan Mosquera).
- Dylan Butler looked at why Atlanta United moved on from Josef Martínez and what's next.
- Josef Martínez addressed his move from Atlanta to Miami.
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