Cody Cropper’s 2016 has been a roller coaster. While he got his first professional starts, playing for MK Dons, the young, Minnesotan goalkeeper saw his club relegated from the English Championship while he nursed a bad shoulder injury. Today, MK Dons announced that they would not be exercising the option on his contract.
BREAKING! #mkdons has decided not to exercise the option in @codycropper_22‘s contract: https://t.co/XQt3ENAG15 pic.twitter.com/x8DUYGmYYL
— MK Dons FC (@MKDonsFC) May 25, 2016
The decision cannot come as a surprise, since the Dons will need to tighten their belts in the third division and a goalkeeper with a long-term injury would make for an easy target. Yet, if you peruse the comments on the MK Dons’ announcement tweet, you get a sense of the high regard with which Dons fans hold Cropper.
Cropper is currently back in Minnesota rehabbing his shoulder and there has been no update on how long Cropper will be out of the game. Without the injury, Cropper would likely find himself with a bevy of suitors in England. With the injury, though, Cropper could find it very difficult to sign with a new club by the fall.
“There are really only two teams I have a desire to play for – Minnesota United and Atlanta United,” he said. “I have personal ties to both cities, and I would love to end up there. I know [Minnesota United president] Nick [Rogers]. We’ve had a few conversations about them buying my rights in MLS or bringing me in down the road. At this point, though, time will tell what ends up happening.”
This unfortunate situation for Cropper may lead to a remote opportunity for Minnesota United FC. As Cropper revealed to us earlier this spring, there has been some conversation in the past with the Minnesota brass about bringing the keeper back to Minnesota to play. If Cropper can’t find a new club for the fall, it may leave an opening for the Loons to snap him up for their inaugural season in MLS. This is, of course, speculative. No one from United would go on the record, discussing someone who doesn’t play for their team, but there is a distinct impression that Cropper is not quite ready to trade in his fish ‘n’ chips in England quite yet. Cropper declined to comment for this article.
Leave a Reply