CINCINNATI— In a surprising move, FC Cincinnati is parting ways with former MLS Defender of the Year Matt Miazga.

The 31-year-old center back has been with FCC since 2022 and has 84 career starts to his credit.  In the last couple of years, he's been besieged with injuries beginning when he suffered a serious knee injury after colliding with the goalpost while preventing a goal on June 15, 2024 against the San Jose Earthquakes.  Since then, he has been limited to only 16 games.

While FC Cincinnati did acquire center back Julian Malatini and wingback David Doudera before the MLS secondary transfer window closed, neither will provide an immediate replacement Saturday against D.C. United at TQL Stadium. And even once Malatini arrives and settles into the club, there's no guarantee he'll replace what Miazga brought to the back line.

Some have speculated that this could indicate more moves are forthcoming as by letting Miazga go, FCC saves some of that $1.6 million annual salary.  That remains to be seen.

What we do know is that Miazga's departure leaves a significant void, not only because of what he brought on the field, but because of the leadership, experience and competitive edge he provided inside the locker room.