Republic FC announces major changes: Bijev, Lopez and Skundrich are leaving
Major changes are coming for Republic FC.
On Tuesday, the club announced multiple transactions that paints a clearer picture of what direction Sacramento wants to go for both the 2021 USL season and when they join Major League Soccer in 2023.
Republic FC plans to exercise the contract options of five players: goalkeeper Rafael Diaz, defenders Shannon Gomez and Jordan McCrary, and midfielders Jaime Villarreal and Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu. Also returning for Sacramento is the club’s all-time leading scoring Cameron Iwasa, Young Player of the Year finalist Hayden Sargis and academy product Mario Penagos.
In addition to those players returning, Republic FC is in contract negations with forwards Kharlton Belmar and Dariusz Formella. The club is hoping to re-sign both of those players for the 2021 season. It’s possible Julian Chavez, Rafael Jauregui
and Diego Ramos, who were all signed last year to academy contracts, could also be on the first team roster in 2021.
Who won’t be on Republic FC next year?
A handful of familiar faces and key contributors from last season won’t be on the roster in 2021. Republic FC announced it will not exercise contract options for defender Ashkanov Apollon, goalkeeper Adam Grinwis and midfielders Villyan Bijev, Rodrigo Lopez and Drew Skundrich.
Apollon played his first and only year for Republic FC in 2020 and made the team after attending an open tryout in January. Bijev joined Sacramento in 2017 and spent four seasons with the club. Grinwis came into the season as the starting goalkeeper, but a knee injury allowed Rafael Diaz to assume the starting goalkeeper spot full time. Lopez was Sacramento’s first-ever signing and is arguably the club’s most popular figure. Skundrich wore the captain’s armband and was one of the most consistent players on the roster.
More players that won’t return in 2021 because of expiring contracts are Juan Barahona and Matt Mahoney. Both played significant minutes on the back line in 2020.
Brady Scott and Frank Lopez will return to their respective clubs following the end of their loan agreements. Former Stanford standouts Sam Werner and Tomas HilliardArce — both fixtures in Sacramento’s lineup in 2020 — announced their retirement from professional soccer last month.
Republic FC general manager Todd Dunivant now faces the task of replacing nearly half of Sacramento’s 2020 roster.
“2020 was a season unlike any other, and we are proud of our team for meeting a multitude of challenges head on and showing why we are the Indomitable Club,” Dunivant said in a news release. “We want to thank each player for their service to the club and community, and we are looking forward to strengthening the team as we build the 2021 roster.”