This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Eventful, right?

Real Salt Lake's offseason has already been filled with its share of twists and turns.

» Javier Morales held his own press conference in a hotel in downtown Salt Lake City to say goodbye to the fans, the end to a messy split with the club after a decade in Utah.

» Head coach Jeff Cassar was re-signed to a one-year deal featuring multiple options.

» Veteran center back Jamison Olave announced he's also done at RSL.

» On Wednesday, the club terminated the contract of Designated Player Burrito Martinez, who voiced his desire to return to Argentina citing personal reasons after just 14 months at RSL.

And yet, the MLS Cup final hasn't even kicked yet. The Expansion Draft still looms on Tuesday for every MLS franchise as Atlanta United and Minnesota United will have their pick of unprotected players from the 20 existing teams in the league.

The start to the RSL offseason hasn't been lacking in intrigue, and it certainly won't stop there. After declining 2017 options on seven players and exercising on five on Nov. 30, RSL enters the first official week of the MLS offseason with just 16 players under contract following the termination of Martinez's DP deal initially signed in Aug. 2015.

General manager Craig Waibel and his staff have less than two months before RSL reports for preseason duty the last week of January. Waibel has said his intent this offseason is to strengthen the spine of the team, to find players capable of making an instant impact up top, in the center of the midfield and on the back line.

And, as he's noted already the last few weeks, Waibel's primary goal is to find a new playmaking midfielder. Martinez's departure only further necessitates a move for a No. 10-type Designated Player, too. It also allows RSL to bump its potential budget limit when searching for its next Designated Player, which in turn, allows more a larger reach worldwide.

"The truth is on the attacking mid," said Waibel, "if there's any lesson to be learned in this 2016 MLS season, it's don't panic."

Pointing to the Western Conference champion Seattle Sounders and the season-altering signing of former Boca Juniors midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro this summer. By penning Lodeiro, the Sounders and former RSL GM Garth Lagerwey showed the league that supreme talent that also happens to be the perfect fit can remake a floundering team. Yes, Seattle's budget is clearly larger than that of RSL's — Lodeiro was transferred for a reported $6 million fee and is being paid as much annual by the Sounders — but Waibel said he feels confident his staff can find that next-generation playmaker in the midfield.

"We have found some interesting players that they want out of their contracts, found some players we might be able to get on loan, found some players that are out-of-contract, but the final answers are always the interesting part," he said. "At the same time, we've had a couple guys that are really interested in coming here, but at the end, we're not sold if they're not difference-makers."

As for the need to replace Martinez out wide? When asked, Waibel had an immediate answer.

"I like Jordan Allen," he said. "I think we'll bring in another winger, but at some point, we've got to make sure if these [young] guys are good enough. This might be the time. If we find another winger that's exponentially better than what we have, then we'll sign him.

"Jordan is a good soccer player, and he's proven to be good in MLS, the only thing he hasn't proven is to be healthy. I'm not in a rush, but if the right guys comes up, it would certainly change things."

-Chris Kamrani

Twitter: @chriskamrani