The San Jose Earthquakes declined to exercise the contract options on nine players, including Clarence Goodson, Marc Pelosi and Tommy Thompson, the team announced Friday.
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However, Thompson, 21, who was the team’s first homegrown player signing in 2014, and Pelosi, 22, who missed all of 2016 with injury, are reportedly in negotiations to return to the team under new contracts.
A team source confirmed that both Tommy Thompson and Marc Pelosi are in advanced contract talks to return to the @SJEarthquakes next season.
— Robert Jonas (@robertjonas) December 2, 2016
Goodson was expected to be a key member of the Earthquakes back line last season, but missed most of the campaign with a back injury. The 34-year-old center back and former U.S. international was one of the team’s largest non-designated player earners, according to numbers released by the MLS players union.
In addition, the Earthquakes declined the options on Innocent, who was one of the side’s designated players, Chad Barrett, Henok Goitom, Steven Lenhart, Bryan Meredith and Mark Sherrod.
The Earthquakes picked up the options on David Bingham, who earned his first two U.S. national team caps in 2016, Victor Bernardez, Kip Colvey, Andres Imperiale, Fatai Alashe and Matheus Silva.