According to a report by The Athletic, Austin FC has placed winger and designated player Emiliano Rigoni on waivers. The transaction was first reported by Tom Bogart and Paul Tenorio, although Austin FC has not officially confirmed the move. If Rigoni is claimed during the waiver period, he will be available to any MLS team to claim with the waiver order starting from the team with the fewest points per game. Teams must bid at least $15,000 over the league’s senior minimum salary to claim Rigoni, and if multiple teams make bids, the waiver order and willingness to take on a higher salary budget charge are taken into account.
Rigoni’s contract with Austin FC is guaranteed through the end of this season and includes two option years. He was signed by former sporting director Claudio Reyna as an offensive facilitator in 2022 but struggled to find his form with the team. This season, he started seven matches and appeared in a total of 51 matches for Austin FC. With his waiver, Rigoni is now available for any MLS team to claim if he is claimed during the waiver period or if no team claims him during that time.
Rigoni scored six goals with six assists mainly during the previous season and provided a game-winning goal against Houston in April 2024. Following Dominguez’s departure, Rigoni became Austin’s third designated player, but his performance did not improve significantly. If no team claims him during the waiver period, he will be available to all MLS clubs on a first-come, first-served basis.
