Just days after D.C. United announced it was not picking up the final year on his contract, striker Christian Benteke says he is leaving the MLS club.
In a statement posted on , the Belgian striker said he was “grateful” for the three years he spent in D.C.
“Thank you to D.C. United for giving me the opportunity to grow and prove myself in MLS,” Benteke said. “To the fans, my teammates, the staff and the city, your support during my 3 years meant everything to me.”
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Arguably United’s most recognizable player, Benteke, who turns 35 later this month, arrived midway through the 2022 season. During his time in D.C., he scored 47 goals in 93 matches. His most productive season came in 2024, when he led the league in scoring with 23 goals, winning the Golden Boot award.
Benteke was set to enter the as United’s only designated player, a status given to high-valued players whose wages do not entirely count against a team’s salary cap. According to the , the striker made $4.5 million during the 2025 season.
However, on Nov. 26, United announced on the final year of his contract, allowing him to become a free agent.
“Although we declined Christian Benteke鈥檚 contract option, we remain in discussions with his representatives regarding a potential return in 2026,” Managing Director of Soccer Operations Erkut Sogut said in a statement.聽鈥淲e are also actively working to identify and recruit top-level talent, including Designated Players, as part of our broader roster build moving forward.鈥�
During the 2025 season, Benteke was unable to replicate his scoring success as he battled through injuries. The striker finished the year with nine goals and three assists in 25 games.
As Benteke’s production faulted, United experienced one of its worst seasons in recent memory. It finished the year with the worst record in MLS (5-18-11, 26 points), cycled through three different head coaches and missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
In September, D.C. United co-owner Jason Levien told 91欧美激情 the team would undergo another rebuild with Sogut and new head coach Ren茅 Weiler in charge of “identifying and recruiting” new players, while also using all three of the club’s designated player slots. Yet, he added that part of United’s rebuilding plan for 2026 included bringing back Benteke.
“We think the world of him as a person and certainly as a player,” Levien said. “He’s been highly productive for us, and we hope he stays with us long term.”
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