KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Sporting Kansas City are less than a week away from kicking off their 2022 MLS campaign and have gone through some major overhaul on the roster.
After their upset elimination from the MLS Cup playoffs to Real Salt Lake, Sporting KC made some major roster moves by declining contract options for six players, trading one player, waiving two, and letting a contract expire on another.
Who is out?
On the list of exiting players were regular starters midfielder Ilie Sanchez and left back Luis Martins.
The club declined their options, making both players free agents. Sanchez eventually signed with Los Angeles FC and Martins remains on the market.
Sanchez played a dual role on the roster, filling a gap in the defensive midfield after Gianluca Busio made his record transfer to Venezia FC midseason, and as a center back when Nicolas Isimat-Mirin went down injured for part of the season.
The Barcelona B product played in 144 games for the club scoring 7 goals and tallying 12 assists.
Martins was a durable choice at left back playing in 34 games in 2021 and played the second most minutes (2,959).
The Portuguese international scored one goal and provided 4 assists in his last season at the club.
Homegrown right back Jaylin Lindsey was traded to expansion side Charlotte FC in his hometown. Lindsey’s play dwindled down toward the end of the season due to injury, but showed promise to take over the spot with veteran Graham Zusi, who re-signed on a one-year deal, inching toward the end of his career.
Homegrown forwards Tyler Freeman and Grayson Barber were waived by the club eliminating more academy talent from the roster.
Who is in?
A combination of veteran and young talent were brought in to fill out Kansas City’s 2022 roster.
Sporting KC took advantage of their three allotted U-22 Initiative roster spots to sign left back Logan Ndenbe (22, Belgium), center back Robert Voloder (20, Germany) and winger Marinos Tzionis (20, Cyprus).
The three European youth products will seek to cement their place on a roster that boasts a veteran presence at those positions.
Sporting brought back central midfielder Uri Rosell who spent three seasons at the club from 2012 to 2014, winning the 2013 MLS Cup.
After completing his first stint in KC, Rosell played for Sporting Lisbon in Portugal’s top flight and Orlando City SC.
The Spaniard will likely fit into his fellow countryman Sanchez’s spot in the midfield, where he played when he first arrived at the club nearly a decade ago.
Left back Ben Sweat looks to make his home on the Kansas City backline, competing with Ndenbe for the starting role.
Sweat is joining his fifth MLS club and most recently played for two expansion sides: Inter Miami FC and Austin FC.
Sporting’s most recent signing, forward Nikola Vujnovic, joins the team on loan from Serbian club FK Vozdovac.
The Montenegro native will compete with Khiry Shelton to fill the void left by Mexican international striker Alan Pulido who is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery.
2022 season
Head coach Peter Vermes has made it a point to give as many opportunities to homegrown talent that make their way through the Sporting Kansas City Academy to the first team.
With the reinstatement of midfielder Felipe Hernandez and defender Kaveh Rad, and midfielders Cam Duke and Ozzie Cisneros on the final roster, they will likely continue to see minutes as Vermes finds his ideal roster for game days.
Academy products Kayden Pierre and John Pulskamp were called up to various United States national team camps over the offseason, so while they continue to work their way up the pecking order, their time might be spent in early US Open Cup rounds and international tournaments.
Gadi Kinda will debut as the club’s new No. 10 and will lead the charge in the midfield as he feeds MVP candidates Johnny Russell and Dániel Sallói who will hope to continue their run of form.
The biggest questions heading into the season is, who will take over for Pulido? Although he didn’t produce the goal output expected, his mere presence on the pitch draws defensive attention, opening up the game for the aforementioned trio to get to work.
Toward the end of the 2021 season, much was made about Vermes’ use of (or lack thereof) substitutions, making top-tier players play extensive amounts of minutes.
It has been almost 10 years since Sporting Kansas City last appeared in the MLS Cup Final and after the latest early exit, it will be on all players and fans minds to get back to the pinnacle of American soccer.
Sporting KC faceoff with Atlanta United from Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.
