Republic FC Signs Danny Crisostomo to the Midfield

The Republic has announced the first new player acquisition ahead of the 2026 season. Daniel (Danny) Crisostomo is set to join the Republic. The acquisition is pending league and federation approval.

Crisostomo joins the Republic from the Tampa Bay Rowdies, playing the last two seasons for the Green and Gold. The defensive midfielder notched three goals and four assists in 65 appearances for the Rowdies, across the regular season, playoffs, and USL Cup. But where he really stood out was in making his impact felt in a match. He led the Rowdies with an 87.7% passing accuracy and was among the top five players for chances created. And he consistently brought a physical presence to the game, leading in tackling with 86 tackles won, and 239 possessions won. And despite being a physical player, he was also among the team leaders for appearances.

Before Tampa Bay, Crisostomo rose through the ranks in some of his native Californian clubs. He got his start in the youth systems of Chivas USA and LA Galaxy. And then had a college career with UC Irvine. The standout year would have to be 2018. Crisostomo earned the Big West Midfielder of the Year Award. And would lead the Anteaters to a regular season conference title and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. UC Irvine got to the second round, where they fell to Stanford. Afterwards, Crisostomo signed his first pro deal with Orange County in 2019, staying for two seasons and making 45 appearances for the Southern California side. His next deal took him to Las Vegas in 2021. Danny would impress and get signed by the Lights' MLS Affiliate, the LAFC. He would spend some time going back and forth between the two clubs, including 10 appearances for LAFC in their campaign to win the 2021 MLS Cup.

Danny Crisostomo on the move: "I’m excited to be here, and I can’t wait for this new challenge. I’m looking forward to playing for an organization that puts their all into winning trophies. I’m ready to give everything to the club, the city, and the fans. It’s an honor to wear the Sacramento Republic badge.”

Coach Neill Collins on the signing: "Danny is a top number six that we feel is going to be a key contributor for the way we want to play going forward. He’s coming in with plenty of experience and is going to be another fantastic leader in the locker room as we chase silverware.”

My thoughts on the signing are not to expect him to be lighting up the scoreboard. But instead, expect him to be lighting up opposing players. Think less Rodrigo Lopez and more of the build of Luis Felipe or Arnold Lopez. Look for him to be that solid anchor in the midfield that can cover ground and stop opposing attacks. Expect him to act as a sweeper in front of the Republic's backline. Let him handle all the defensive responsibilities when it comes to being a midfielder, and let the more attacking-oriented players keep their eyes forward. Although he came from Tampa Bay, he had no overlap with Coach Neill Collins, but I do expect that former Rowdies Ryan Spaulding and Freddy Kleeman had a say in Crisostomo's move to the Republic.

Welcome aboard Danny!

“He’s got a lot of hunger and wants to come somewhere he can win.” Coach Neill breaks down what new signing Danny Crisostomo brings to the squad. 💪 pic.twitter.com/ZiRf3KNVMv

— Sacramento Republic FC (@SacRepublicFC) December 4, 2025