Orlando City SC on Monday received extra time from Major League Soccer to announce its offseason roster moves.
A club spokesperson confirmed MLS granted an extension for Orlando City to inform the league of which contract options it planned to exercise ahead of the 2019 season. The deadline for teams not still in the MLS Cup Playoffs to submit their contract options in writing to the league was 1 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday.
An announcement should come later this week, the spokesperson confirmed.
This development comes on the same day Orlando City announced it had parted ways with club General Manager Niki Budalić. A club spokesperson confirmed roster moves — up until Monday — have been worked on by coach James O’Connor and Budalić.
Budalić was Orlando City’s GM since December of 2016.
The Lions’ roster underwent a massive overhaul ahead of the 2018 season. Players like New York Red Bulls attacking midfielder Sacha Kljestan, Bundesliga-caliber centerback Lamine Sané and Columbus Crew SC winger Justin Meram were brought to Orlando to help the team secure its first-ever berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
The new signings had varying levels of success — Meram was traded back to the Crew after a tough six months with Orlando City — and the Lions finished the 2018 season with an Eastern Conference-worst 8-22-4 (28 points) record.
It was the worst record in the club’s MLS history and it meant, despite starting the year with a lot of promise, the Lions failed to reach the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.