The Oakland Roots return home to The Town playing at the Oakland Coliseum in 2025. On Wednesday, Nov. 27, the club announced its initial offseason roster moves as it prepares for next season.
Longtime Roots players Paul Blanchette and Memo Diaz look set not to return next year. However, the club did announce that former Roots defender Kai Greene is returning for the 2024 season.
Soccer Bay Area will track all the moves, including any other additions or subtractions, and update this article all offseason.
CURRENT 2025 OAKLAND ROOTS ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS: Tim Syrel
DEFENDERS: Ilya Alekseev, Kai Greene, Neveal Hackshaw, Gagi Margvelashvili, Baboucarr Njie, Justin Rasmussen
MIDFIELDERS: Rafael Baca, Daniel Gomez, Camden Riley
FORWARDS: Etsgar Cruz, Dom Dwyer, Johnny Rodriguez, Miche Naider-Chéry, Wolfgang Prentice, Jose Luis Sinisterra
Rodriguez, who scored 12 goals, and Hackshaw, who led the Roots defense, have both signed new contracts with the team for the 2025 season.
PLAYERS LEAVING
OUT OF CONTRACT: Paul Blanchette, Memo Diaz, and Irakoze Donasiyano
CONTRACT OPTIONS DECLINED: Niall Logue, Napo Matsoso, and Trayvone Reid
PLAYERS ARRIVING
DEFENDER: Kai Greene
After leaving the club following the 2022 season, Greene returns after playing for Monterey Bay FC the last two years.
“Kai is a no-nonsense, hardworking defender who always puts the team above all else,” said Oakland Roots Head Coach Gavin Glinton during the announcement. “I know how good he was here in Oakland in 2021, and now he’s become an even bigger leader, having served as a captain in 2024. We expect Kai to step right into a leadership role back here in Oakland and make a big impact on our defense.”
