Major League Soccer side D.C United will keep Ghanaian defender Chris Odoi-Atsem for the 2019 season despite being diagnosed with cancer.
The 23-year-old guardsman has started four months chemotherapy at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital after suffering Stage Two Hodgkin’s lymphoma last month.
Despite the Ghanaian youngster's plight, the Washington-based outfit have included him in their roster for next season's Major League Soccer.
Alongside Odoi-Atem, players that are already under contract for the 2019 season include Paul Arriola, Steven Birnbaum, Frédéric Brillant, Russell Canouse, Chris Durkin, Bill Hamid, Joseph Mora, Júnior Moreno, Zoltán Stieber, Ulises Segura and David Ousted.
Meanwhile, United did not exercise the options of Yamil Asad, Nick DeLeon, Vytautas AndriuÅ¡keviÄius, Kevin Ellis, Ian Harkes, Jared Jeffrey, Dane Kelly, Bruno Miranda and Kofi Opare.
United’s active roster stands as follows:
Goalkeepers (2): Bill Hamid, David Ousted
Defenders (5): Steven Birnbaum, Frédéric Brillant, Joseph Mora, Chris Odoi-Atsem, Jalen Robinson
Midfielders (7): Luciano Acosta, Paul Arriola, Russell Canouse, Chris Durkin, Júnior Moreno, Ulises Segura, Zoltán Stieber
Forwards (1): Wayne Rooney