Imagine you’re a MLS club with a long and storied history. You’ve got two MLS Cups and two Supporter’s Shields in your trophy cabinet. One of your former players is the current MLS all-time goal scoring record holder. Your head coach is a soccer legend, with years of success under his belt. You’ve got a lovely, albeit small, stadium in a soccer-crazed metropolitan region where you are the only MLS franchise holder.
Meet the Quakes
True, your 2025 season didn’t go as planned. You missed the playoffs. But you were in the fight right up until the end. Your team did their job on that final day, coming from behind to win in front of a rowdy home crowd. That same crowd hung on after the final whistle, watching the other games play out on the big screen, hoping for a miracle.
By all rights, the offseason should be one buoyed by optimism. Your club’s highest priority should be shoring up a leaky defense that shipped 63 goals. Maybe get a high profile signing to fill that open DP slot now that Hernán López is out of the picture, comfortably on loan with Agentinos Juniors. What could go wrong?
A Lot Can Go Wrong
Remember, this is the San Jose Earthquakes.
It turns out someone in the front office failed to exercise the team’s option on Cristian Espinoza (pictured right). This allowed the team captain and locker room leader to transfer over to Nashville SC as a free agent. This is some serious amateur-level nonsense, and cost the club millions of dollars.
At the same time, in the roster announcement on Nov. 26, there was another shock. Josef Martínez (pictured left with Atlanta), the club’s top scorer with 14 goals, was let go. In one fell swoop, the team captain and assist leader and top scorer were gone. Poof. Martínez is now at Club Tijuana in the LigaMX, and again the Quakes have zero dollars to show for it.
Four other players were released on that same day: defenders Rodrigues, Bruno Wilson and Wilson Eisner, and defensive midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye. One week earlier, young defender Oscar Verhoeven made his loan at San Diego FC permanent, earning the club $350K in 2026 GAM.
Shock aside, the club still had two months to recruit in some talent and caulk over those massive cracks from the Espinoza and Martínez departures.
Cue Crickets
December was quiet. I mean you-could-hear-a-pin-drop silent. No reports. No activity.
Then in January we heard some positive whispers. Timo Werner, the 29-year old German forward, was looking to leave RB Leipzig and San Jose was a strong, viable destination. Fabrizio Romano even shouted “Here we go!” back on Jan. 15, with other press outlets chirping that the deal was imminent.
Of course, at publication the Quakes still have no update on Werner.
In fact, they don’t have much to say about inbound players. Goalkeeper Nate Crockford arrived from FC Cincinnati (via their reserve squad), and earlier this week they signed homegrown forward Tomo Allen to a professional contract.
More Departures
Between December and now three more players have departed. Homegrown prospect Chase Cowell (younger brother of USMNT player Cade) was traded to Real Salt Lake. Defending Nick Lima retired. Another academy graduate, Cruz Medina, was loaned to Chivas.
And there may be a fourth. Late last night, Tom Bogert posted that Chicho Arango (pictured right) would be stepping away as well. He will reportedly be transferred to Atlético Nacional.
IF TRUE, this would leave San Jose roster with no Designated Players, and only one U22 Initiative player. This would also mean their top three goal contributors are gone. Of the 60 goals in 2025, Espinoza, Martínez and Arango accounted for 73% (44) of them.
When was the last time you recall a team parting ways with 73% of their offense? Think about it, I’ll wait.
Grim Outlook
All of this activity does nothing to quell the persistent rumors that owner John Fisher is selling the franchise. Nor does it give any hope to long suffering supporters who, in the course of two short months, have watched any real optimism about 2026 run down the drain.
Note: The San Jose Earthquakes were approached for comments on the offseason moves, and the Timo Werner rumors specifically, but did not reply.
Josep Packsten grew up in the Netherlands but is a long-term resident of northern California. He has been a certified referee for 15+ years, but a soccer fan for much, much longer.
