Colorado Rapids announced that the team will not pick up options on midfielders Claudio Lopez, Ciaran O'Brien and Peter Vagenas.
All three players are eligible for the 2010 MLS Re-Entry Process. Eligible players may either choose to participate in the Re-Entry Process or may opt out.
As part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, MLS players who meet certain criteria are eligible to be made available to all teams through the Re-Entry Process after their contract status has been determined by their current club.
Lopez appeared in 11 games for the Rapids in 2010 after joining the club earlier in the year on April 2. He also contributed with a penalty kick shootout goal in Colorado's second leg Semifinal playoff victory over Columbus. One of the most skillful Argentines of his generation, Lopez has recorded 13 goals and 15 assists in 68 career MLS games with Kansas City (2008 and 2009) and the Rapids.
O'Brien played in one regular season game, three U.S. Open Cup matches and 10 reserve division games during his three-year tenure with the Rapids. Originally drafted by Colorado with the fifth overall pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft, he spent loan periods with USL-1 sides Seattle, Austin and Montreal in 2008 and 2009 and was a member of the Impacts '09 championship squad.
Vagenas was acquired by the Rapids in a trade with the Seattle Sounders FC on November 22, 2010. Vagenas has appeared in 204 games and scored 14 goals and added 27 assists while playing with the LA Galaxy and Seattle during his 11-year MLS career.
