Hartford Athletic completed the announcement of returning players for 2026 on Thursday and Friday, as they revealed that Samuel Careaga, Emmanuel Samadia, Beverly Makangila and Arturo Diz Pe would all return for the upcoming campaign. Combined with previous announcements, this brings the number of players returning from Hartford’s USL Cup-winning campaign to 12.
Careaga, who spent the 2025 season with the Latics on loan from Lanús, returns for a second year. Although he had a year left on his contract with Lanús, it’s believed that he has now joined Hartford on a permanent basis and has received a new, multiyear contract.
If so, it’s smart business by the Latics to return a key contributor who will not turn 24 years old until midway through the upcoming campaign. In 2025, he struggled with injuries to start the season, but ultimately excelled, making eight goal contributions in 32 appearances in all competitions, including scoring the game-winner in the USL Cup triumph over Sacramento Republic. He was also named to the USL Championship Team of the Week twice, was the USL Cup Player of the Round once, and was named MVP of the USL Cup final.
Samadia, who has attracted interest on the transfer market in each of the last two seasons, returns for a third season in Hartford. After struggling to get into the starting eleven early in the 2024 season, he’s now one of the first names in the team sheet when he isn’t on international duty with Sierra Leon. In 2025, he recorded six assists – only Sebastian Anderson had more – and he logged the fifth-most minutes, despite missing time to fulfil his obligations to his national team. The retention of Baboucarr Njie and the addition of Matt Real suggest that Hartford is preparing for the possibility that Samadia might move on during the summer transfer window, but for now, his return gives the Latics one of the most dangerous fullback pairings in the entire USL Championship.
Makangila returns for a fourth season and is now the longest-tenured player on the roster. His 81 appearances are good for third all-time, and while he has not quite managed to nail down a starting spot, he is a reliable player who should provide another 2,000 minutes in defensive midfield – provided he can avoid adding to his three red cards – the most by any player in club history.
Diz Pe was the fourth choice among center backs this past season, being edged out by fellow newcomer TJ Presthus. With the retirement of Joe Farrell, Diz Pe probably now slots in alongside Presthus and Jordan Scarlett if Brendan Burke sticks to a back three in the 2026 season, although he may find himself once again the odd man out if there’s a switch to a back four at any point. He’ll turn 32 early in the season, and may very well be winding down his career at this point, but his 14,000 minutes of Championship experience should continue to be valuable for Hartford, as will his physicality and aerial presence.
Following the announcement of these returns, the club also made a more comprehensive announcement that suggests there will be no more returns from the 2025 squad, meaning Hadji Barry, Deshane Beckford, John Berner, Marlon Hairston, Jonathan Jimenez and Pele Ousmanou would be applying their trade elsewhere in 2026. It’s a firm foundation, as Hartford returns seven of their top ten minutes leaders from 2025, as well as 11 of 16 players who logged at least 1,000 minutes in all competitions.
It also gives the Latics 13 players currently announced for the upcoming season: 12 returnees and newcomer Matt Real. A particular need remains at forward, where only Michee Ngalina and Adewale Obalola have been announced.
It’s believed that Ugandan striker Sadat Anaku is still in the cards, and that Hartford may also be aiming to bring in a veteran USL Championship forward to supplement the attack. In any event, there’s still a need for another ten or so players to avoid a repeat of 2025’s early-season fiasco that saw the Latics shorthanded on too many occasions.
