New information on the MLS Next Pro team was released this Monday, a week after the first accounts that Rochester FC almost closed its doors during the offseason.
The reports that the situation was dire at Rochester FC first came by Nossa Radio USA and Territorio MLS reporter Gustavo Lopes.
According to Gustavo, the Dworkin family, majority owners of the club, agreed with an Italian investor to purchase the club. The name of the investor was not revealed.
Sources tell me that the current owners of Rochester NY FC have reached an agreement with an Italian investor for the purchase of the team that should be completed in a matter of time.#RNYFC pic.twitter.com/PGICegCkAG
— Gustavo Lopes 🇧🇷🇺🇸 (@SoccerWithGus) February 27, 2023
According to the information received, the club is trying to finalize the deal as quickly as possible to start the 2023 season. So far, the team still does not have a head coach or a roster assembled to dispute the second edition of newly formed MLS Next Pro. Indeed, this bureaucratic situation is one of the main reasons for the delay in announcing the competition schedule that should start next month.
On February 22, Lopes published that Rochester FC was negotiating with a foreign coach who expected to be announced within two weeks. Currently, the club does not have ten players registered in its squad, and many of the employees and front office present last year have left the club.
The Rochester NY FC came very close to going out of business this off-season, until finding a investor, which was not revealed to the public, I’m told.
Even not having 8 players in its roster, the club hopes to appoint a new HC within two weeks and have a roster ready for the…
— Gustavo Lopes 🇧🇷🇺🇸 (@SoccerWithGus) February 22, 2023
In addition to the Dworkin family, the English star and Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy is also one of the “owners” of the team, although people tend to think he did not owned any part of the team. His lack of interest in the club has been noticed by the passionate Rhinos fanbase. Internally, there are rumors that Vardy is not on the organization anymore and is expected to officially cut ties with the organization very soon.
An important update from the #RNYFC team. pic.twitter.com/aEhhYieK7e
— Rochester New York FC (@rnyfcofficial) February 22, 2023
Above is the official note released by the official profile of Rochester New York Football Club, released after the news leaks on the 22nd. Our team has tried to contact the RNYFC but has not been successful.
More updates soon.
