LAFC trade Pablo Sisniega’s MLS rights to Charlotte FC

The MLS offseason is well and fully here, and the MLS trade window is now open, with LAFC looking to make an early move. They are sending Pablo Sisniega’s MLS player rights to 2022 MLS expansion team Charlotte FC, in exchange for $50,000 in allocation money, first reported by The Athletic’s Sam Stejskal and Paul Tenorio on Sunday.

LAFC subsequently confirmed they could receive an addition $50,000 in allocation money if certain performance metrics are met.

Sisniega, 26, spent three seasons with LAFC, making 28 MLS regular season appearances in that time, allowing 42 goals. He’s been in a timeshare each of his three seasons, and while he outlasted Tyler Miller and Kenneth Vermeer, he’s out of contract and LAFC appeared ready to move on from him this offseason after Tomas Romero and Jamal Blackman moved ahead of him on the depth chart in 2021.

“Pablo was an important part of our Club on and off the field,” said LAFC Co-President and GM John Thorrington in a team statement. “We are thankful for his commitment to the team and the organization, and we wish him good luck with Charlotte.”

Coming ahead of the Expansion Draft for Charlotte on Tuesday, I think this deal may be in part a handshake deal to keep Charlotte from taking any players on LAFC’s roster. Time will tell, but this is effectively Charlotte getting an extra expansion draft pick, so I expect no LAFC players will now be taken on Tuesday.

I also think a fresh start could do Sisniega some good. His family lives out east, he’s never had a chance to be a No. 1 with no timeshares, and maybe Charlotte will give him that chance. Regardless, best wishes to Sisniega moving forward in his career.

What do you think? Leave a comment below.