Legion announce initial departures

Twelve players confirmed to leave as the Three Sparks prepare for busy offseason

Following the conclusion of the 2025 USL Championship season, Birmingham Legion announced their first batch of roster moves.

In a press release sent out at 11 a.m. CT this morning, the Three Sparks named twelve players who would not be returning for the 2026 season. The list was split into three groups: those with contract options that were not taken up, those who did not have an option and became free agents, and loanees returning to parent clubs.

The list is as follows:

• Option declined: Ethan Kos, Edwin Laszo, Erik Centeno, Kameron Lacey, Lucca Dourado and Moses Mensah.

• Free agents: Maliek Howell, Stephen Turnbull and Preston Tabort Etaka

• Loanee departures: Jackson Travis and Tiago Suárez

• Additionally, Trevor Spangenberg’s retirement has finally been confirmed. The goalkeeper called quits on his career midway through the season due to a persistent back injury but no announcement was made until now.

Anybody not listed here is currently in discussion with the club and may yet leave should those negotiations fall through. The only guaranteed returners at this point are Phanuel Kavita, Tyler Pasher and Enzo Martínez, who all signed multi-year deals last December.

Analysis

A few things quickly jump out from this announcement.

The first is that loan players were included, but only two of the Legion’s five loanees are announced as returning to their parent club. This would suggest that the club is attempting to bring Samuel Shashoua, Amir Daley and Ronaldo Damus back to the club for 2026, whether permanently or extending their loans.

Damus had an option to purchase in his contract, so it’s only about agreeing personal terms, while the other two could be slightly more complicated to sign. Mark Briggs made it clear at the end of the season that he wanted both to stick around though, so it’s good to see the front office trying to give him what he wants.

Of the departing players, most were expected, though some will still sadden the Legion faithful.

Moses Mensah and Preston Tabort Etaka both joined the club in 2023 and endeared themselves to the fans but will now set off on a new adventure. In my roster review article earlier this month, I explained why both would likely be headed out the door. Their presences will be missed, but it’s probably best for both their careers and the club’s future to part ways at this junction.

The two biggest surprises are likely Stephen Turnbull and Lucca Dourado. From what I’ve been told, the club had an interested in extending Turnbull’s stay in the Magic City, and it was the player’s choice to move on. For Dourado, while he was out on loan this season, I thought his performances had merited getting a shot in preseason at the very least. It will be interesting to see if he takes the step up to the Championship with another club or remains in League One.

The remaining names are pretty straightforward, though pretty damning on Legion’s recruitment. Of the five remaining players who weren’t in on loan, four joined the club after Mark Briggs. Edwin Laszo, Maliek Howell, Kameron Lacey and Erik Centeno were all brought in for the Englishman and did not have the desired impact at the club.

Trevor McMullen, Peter-Lee Vassell and Sebastián Saucedo are the only Briggs-era signings that could still stick around, a measly 43% success rate (though permanent deals for Daley and Shashoua would bring it up to a perfect 50% retention when factoring in loan deals.)

Recruitment this offseason will need to be much better if this club is to have any ambitions of returning to the playoffs.

Returning players

With this first wave of announcements, Birmingham Legion have 18 players presumed to return in 2026, should contract negotiations be successful. That isn’t to say all 18 will line up for the Three Sparks in the next season though, as some might be retained because of their perceived value to trade or sell for a fee.

The list is as follows:

• Matt van Oekel

• Phanuel Kavita

• Ramiz Hamouda

• Sam McIllhatton

• Ronaldo Damus (requires signing from parent club)

• Dawson McCartney

• Trevor McMullen

• Jake Rufe

• Samuel Shashoua (requires signing from parent club)

• Tyler Pasher

• Peter-Lee Vassell

• Enzo Martínez

• AJ Paterson

• Sebastian Tregarthen

• Sebastián Saucedo

• Amir Daley (requires signing from parent club)

• Temi Ereku

• Fernando Delgado

The most surprising name currently being retained is probably Temi Ereku, who spent most of the season on loan with Forward Madison. Unlike Dourado, Ereku found minutes hard to come by in League One, so it is unclear what future the club sees for him. A second loan could be likely.

The rest of the list are all worth keeping around, and most of them were actually players I suggested hanging on to in my end-of-year review. Enzo Martínez is the only player here that I had suggested moving on, and his stay might well only have been because he already had a contract. He’s one that could still be traded elsewhere, but if not he can certainly still add something to this team, even if only as a locker room presence.

What next?

Birmingham Legion can field a fully coherent lineup with the 18 players currently in-line to stay, but that doesn’t meant there isn’t plenty of work to be done.

Whether Briggs reverts to his preferred 3-4-3 or keeps the 3-5-2 he used at the end of the year, centerback is definitely going to be an area in need of an upgrade. With four players for three spots, that defense is one injury away from a real problem, and 3/4 of the CBs spent a good chunk of time this season on the treatment table.

Briggs will also certainly be looking to add a starting left wing-back that fits his system, as he’s made it very clear that the wing-back role is crucial to how he wants to play. The potential return of Amir Daley will go a long way to ensuring the right flank is taken care of, though a backup will still be needed should Sebastian Tregarthen’s future be further upfield.

The depth chart looks decent in midfield, but I still contend the team needs a proper eight to come in regardless of whether it’s a two-man pivot or a three-man midfield. Ereku is likely not ready for serious minutes, while Martínez is at the other end of the spectrum and will be phased out if he sticks around. Expect several signings in this area as a result.

Finally, a proper out-and-out striker to compete with Damus is a must. The Haitian carried the team’s goalscoring last season and should not be asked to do the same in 2026. If Briggs sticks with a 3-5-2, you probably want to bring in two number nines. If he reverts to a 3-4-3 an additional winger is probably a bigger priority in addition to the first striker. A hybrid player who can cover both spots might be a good idea if available.

The other positions look okay for now, though hopefully the club will still look to upgrade several of those players. While fine to keep around, a lot of them would ideally be backups, not starters, as the Three Sparks look to bounce back from a disappointing season.

The offseason is sure to be a busy one, and there will be plenty of interesting names on the market. North Carolina FC’s entire roster is up for grabs after they folded (hello Finn Sundstrom), and plenty more proven USL Championship players have left their respective clubs. The USL Show’s John Morrisey keeps a tracker of all roster decisions right here.

Let me know who you think Birmingham Legion should sign ahead of the 2026 season, and make sure to follow me on Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook or Bluesky to stay up to date on all my Legion coverage as we head into a busy offseason.