Sporting Kansas City announced today several roster moves ahead of the 2024 season.
Sporting has exercised contract options for the following eight players: Stephen Afrifa, Willy Agada, Robert Castellanos, Jake Davis, Danny Flores, Chris Rindov, Johnny Russell and Remi Walter.
Cam Duke, Gadi Kinda and Kendall McIntosh are out of contract with the club. Sporting has extended a bona fide offer to Kinda.
In addition, Sporting has declined contract options for Roger Espinoza, Kortne Ford, Felipe Gutierrez and Graham Zusi.
Espinoza and Zusi conclude 2023 as two of the most accomplished players in Sporting history. Espinoza has spent 14 seasons in Kansas City, helping the club to three Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles and 10 playoff appearances. Across all competitions, the former MLS All-Star midfielder ranks second in team history in appearances (399) and minutes (29,162) while sitting fifth in assists (49). Espinoza is Sporting’s all-time Open Cup appearance leader (26 matches) and is tied with Zusi for third on club charts with 21 appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Zusi has spent his entire 15-year professional career at Sporting and won four major championships in Kansas City—the 2013 MLS Cup and Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015 and 2017. The longest-tenured player at one club in league history, Zusi was an MLS Best XI honoree in 2012 and 2013 and has a team-record seven MLS All-Star selections. The versatile veteran—who has transitioned from central midfielder to winger to right back during his tenure in Kansas City—is Sporting’s all-time leader in appearances (411), starts (358) and minutes (32,723) across all competitions while ranking second in assists (90) and total goal contributions (125).
The following 16 players enter 2024 with guaranteed contracts at Sporting: Ozzie Cisneros, Andreu Fontas, Felipe Hernandez, Tim Leibold, Tim Melia, Logan Ndenbe, Kayden Pierre, Alan Pulido, John Pulskamp, Nemanja Radoja, Dany Rosero, Daniel Salloi, Khiry Shelton, Erik Thommy, Marinos Tzionis and Robert Voloder.
Following today’s announcement, Sporting has 24 players under contract for the 2024 season:
- Goalkeepers (2): Tim Melia, John Pulskamp
- Defenders (9): Jake Davis, Robert Castellanos, Andreu Fontas, Tim Leibold, Logan Ndenbe, Kayden Pierre, Chris Rindov, Dany Rosero, Robert Voloder
- Midfielders (6): Ozzie Cisneros, Danny Flores, Felipe Hernandez, Nemanja Radoja, Erik Thommy, Remi Walter
- Forwards (7): Stephen Afrifa, Willy Agada, Alan Pulido, Johnny Russell, Daniel Salloi, Khiry Shelton, Marinos Tzionis
Sporting’s roster will continue to take shape in the buildup to the 2024 MLS campaign. For a full list of the team’s offseason roster moves, visit SportingKC.com/news/tracker. The calendar of Major League Soccer’s remaining offseason roster-building events is listed below.
MLS Offseason Roster Mechanisms
- Monday, Dec. 11: Trade Window opens (8 a.m. CT)
- Tuesday, Dec. 12: End-of-Year Waivers (4 p.m. CT)
- Wednesday, Dec. 13: Free Agency begins (12 p.m. CT)
- Thursday, Dec. 14: Re-Entry Draft Stage 1 (12 p.m. CT)
- Tuesday, Dec. 19: MLS SuperDraft 2024 presented by Adidas (2 p.m. CT)
- Thursday, Dec. 21: Re-Entry Draft Stage 2 (12 p.m. CT)
Sporting Kansas City II has also announced offseason roster moves leading into the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro campaign.
SKC II has exercised the contract option for Sebastian Cruz and declined contract options for Vitor Dias, Enzo Mauriz and Lucas Rosa.
Six players are out of contract with the club—Bakary Bagayoko, Ethan Bandre, Josh Coan, Michael Lenis, Nassim Mekideche and Jahon Rad—while loan spells for Andrew Draper and Alenis Vargas have ended. The club is currently in discussions to retain Mekideche and Vargas.
Four players are currently under MLS NEXT Pro contracts with Sporting KC II entering the 2024 season: defender Coby Jones, forward Pau Vidal and midfielders Cruz and Ethan Bryant.
