Charlotte FC's inaugural season in MLS was far from a bad one. The season kicked off with three consecutive defeats, as expected for an expansion team. After claiming their first victory in a 3-1 win over the New England Revolution, their form improved, but it was an inconsistent road. They were unable to string together multiple results until the final weeks of the season. Three straight wins between September and October propelled them into ninth place in the Eastern Conference, which is not a bad finish at all for a first-year roster. Polish forward Karol Swiderski led the way with 10 goals, while Daniel Rios provided seven. Outside of these two and Andre Shinyashiki's six goals, Charlotte could not find any attacking consistency. Luckily, they grabbed a DP striker that may remedy this problem.
Charlotte's off-season was relatively quiet in the quantity of signings, but extremely loud in the quality of them. The first is Enzo Copetti, a 26-year-old Argentine Designated Player striker that undoubtedly has star potential in MLS. He arrives from Racing Club, where he notched 31 goals since he joined the team in 2021, including 21 last season. This was not all Charlotte did, as they also added an experienced midfielder in Ashley Westwood. The 32-year-old will slot straight into the midfield after his transfer from Burnley. He spent a decade in the Premier League, appearing in almost 300 matches. The largest sale of the off-season was in the form of Daniel Rios to Liga MX's Guadalajara. He provided a solid portion of Charlotte's attack late in the season in 2022. Also on the way out is Jordy Alcivar, who joined Independiente del Valle at the conclusion of the campaign. Christian Fuchs retired and will join the team in an expanded staff role. Goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas was loaned to USL for the second straight year, this time to Miami FC.
There is serious optimism around Charlotte Football Club in 2023. Enzo Copetti brings a whole new spark to the attack next to fellow goal scorer Karol Swiderski. The pair will need to find a chemistry up top together, and if they do it could be dangerous. The other attacking spots in the lineup are still wide open. Andre Shinyashiki is a solid option that proved his value last year. With that being said, the winger spots may go to DP Kamil Jozwiak and U22 Initiative player Kerwin Vargas. Vargas, 22, has serious potential and is a breakout candidate this season. In the back, Joseph Mora and Nathan Byrne will likely hold down the fullbacks. After a torn ACL last year, Guzman Corujo will likely miss the very start of the season. French center back Adilson Malanda will likely have to step into a bigger role. Charlotte FC will be playing for Anton Walkes in 2023, a quality defender who tragically passed away in a boating accident in Miami this off-season. Walkes will motivate this group even further. Christian Lattanzio's side could see major growth this year.
Projected XI:
GK: Kahlina
DEF: Mora, Corujo, Malanda, Byrne
MID: Jozwiak, Westwood, Bronico, Vargas
FWD: Copetti, Swiderski
Off-Season Grade: B+
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