Brad Guzan, Ozzie Alonso, Dylan Castanheira placed on season-ending injury list

Atlanta United players who have suffered catastrophic injuries in recent weeks, goalkeepers Brad Guzan and Dylan Castanheira and central midfielder Ozzie Alonso, have all been added to the season-ending injury list according to the club.

Guzan suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in his right leg against FC Cincinnati on April 16 and underwent successful surgery to repair the tendon on April 19. Alonso suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee on April 2 and Castanheira suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in his left leg during training on April 6.

Here are the MLS rules regarding the injury list:

If a player suffers a season-ending injury, a club may place that injured player on the Season-Ending Injury List and receive roster relief (i.e., an open roster slot). Once placed on the Season-Ending Injury List, the injured player will not be eligible to play for the club in any remaining competition during that MLS season (including any exhibition games or tournaments, including but not limited to: Leagues Cup, Campeones Cup, CONCACAF Champions League, Canadian Championship and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Season-Ending Injury Replacement Player

A club may replace an injured player that is on the Season-Ending Injury List with a new replacement player in accordance with parameters below.

The club will remain responsible for the injured player’s full Salary Budget Charge. Clubs may execute a trade to create Salary Budget space in order to sign such a replacement player. This is the only circumstance in which a club may trade for Salary Budget space. Clubs are only able to receive Salary Budget relief (paid out of the club’s own pocket) for a season-ending injury under the following parameters:

The injured player must be earning at least $100,000 per annum.

The injured player must have suffered the season-ending injury prior to the close of the Primary Transfer Window and the new player must be acquired as of such date.

The replacement player may earn up to $250,000 but not more than the player who suffered the season-ending injury.

The replacement player’s charge will be billed back to the club.

Clubs will only be allowed to sign one such replacement player per MLS League Season.

If the injured player occupies an international roster slot on the Senior Roster, the replacement player may also be an International Player.

Supplemental Season-Ending Injury

If a player on a club’s Supplemental Roster suffers a season-ending injury, a club may replace that injured player with a player earning the Reserve Minimum Salary irrespective of the salary earned by the injured player (e.g., if a Generation adidas Player earning more than the Reserve Minimum Salary is injured, he may be replaced by a player earning the Reserve Minimum Salary (subject to the Club Salary Budget)). The Reserve Minimum Salary of such replacement player will be charged to the Club Salary Budget.

Accordingly, a club must have Salary Budget space to replace a player with a season-ending injury on the Supplemental Roster with a replacement player.

If the injured player occupies an international roster slot on the Supplemental Roster, the replacement player may also be an International Player.