Report: Austin FC puts designated player Emiliano Rigoni on waivers

AUSTIN (KXAN) — According to a report by The Athletic, Austin FC has placed winger and designated player Emiliano Rigoni on waivers.

Tom Bogart and Paul Tenorio first reported the transaction. Austin FC has not confirmed the move to KXAN. Bogart reported that Rigoni's contract had an auto-renew clause in it for 2025 if he made 12 appearances during the 2024 season. He has played in 11 matches this season.

Rigoni's contract is guaranteed through the end of this season with two option years. He was signed by former Austin sporting director Claudio Reyna.

Rigoni came to the club as a heralded offensive facilitator in 2022, but he never could find his footing in Austin. Rigoni scored six goals with six assists with all but one of the goals coming last season. He provided the game-winning goal against Houston on April 20 in a 1-0 victory on the road. He started seven matches this season, and for his career with Verde and Black, he played in 51 matches with 35 starts.

Rigoni became the club's third designated player after Cecilio Dominguez and Austin "mutually parted ways" while Dominguez was under investigation for alleged domestic abuse.

According to Major League Soccer's roster regulations, Rigoni is now available for any team in the league to claim. He'll be available for two business days once clubs receive notice, and the team with the fewest points per game, New England, has first rights. The waiver order moves up the table from there. Teams have to bid at least $15,000 over the 2023 senior minimum salary, $85,444 according to the league's collective bargaining agreement. When multiple teams make bids, the regulations state that both waiver order and a club's willingness to "absorb a Salary Budget Charge that is meaningfully higher than other clubs," are considered to settle claims.

If no team claims Rigoni within the waiver period, he is "available to all MLS clubs on a first-come, first-served basis," according to the regulations.