Sporting Kansas City traded forward Teal Bunbury to the New England Revolution on Wednesday in exchange for New England’s first round pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft and allocation money.
"Everyone in the organization would like to thank Teal for his contributions on and off the field for Kansas City over the last four years,” Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes said. “We wish him all the best."
Bunbury scored 21 goals and added seven assists in 94 games in MLS competition (including playoffs) since being drafted by Sporting KC with the fourth overall pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft as a Generation adidas signing out of Akron. The 23-year-old forward returned from a torn ACL in 2013 and his 19 career MLS regular season goals rank 10th most on the club’s all-time goal scoring chart.
Bunbury has four appearances for the U.S. Men’s National Team with a goal and an assist. He also represented the United States during the 2012 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
In accordance with MLS Roster Rules and Regulations, allocation money is a resource available to MLS clubs in addition to their respective salary budgets. Allocation money does not count against a club’s salary budget and can be used:
- To sign players new to MLS (a player who did not play in MLS during the previous season)
- To re-sign an existing MLS player, subject to League approval
- To “buy-down” a player’s salary budget charge below the League maximum of $368,750
- In connection with the exercise of an option to purchase a player’s rights or the extension of a player’s contract for the second year provided the player was new to MLS in the immediately prior year
The 2015 MLS SuperDraft, to be held in Philadelphia, will feature 21 teams with the entry of expansion clubs New York City FC and Orlando City SC into Major League Soccer. Sporting KC receives New England’s natural first round pick as part of today’s trade and the club now holds two selections in the opening round of next year’s draft.
Transaction: Sporting Kansas City (MLS) trades forward Teal Bunbury to the New England Revolution (MLS) in exchange for New England’s first round MLS SuperDraft pick and allocation money.
