Sporting Kansas City announced Wednesday that midfielder Graham Zusi has signed a new contract with the club. Per club policy, terms of the agreement will not be disclosed.
“I am thrilled to stay with Sporting Kansas City,” Zusi said. “The culture, fans, atmosphere and organization are top-notch and our objectives are the same, to win championships. I know we will all work hard on and off the field and commit ourselves to reach our goals.”
“Zeus (Zusi) had a very good year last year and we feel that his best is still yet to come,” Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes said. “His intangibles on the field, matched with his competitiveness, are a great fit for our team and re-signing him was a priority this off-season.”
The 25-year-old playmaker is coming off a career season in 2011, in which he earned Player of the Week, Player of the Month and MLSSoccer.com Breakout Player of the Year recognition. He tallied career highs with five goals and nine assists in 35 appearances, including postseason, and became known for his set pieces and long-range goals following two Goal of the Year nominations with goals from beyond 35 yards.
Zusi’s stellar season propelled him onto the U.S. Men’s National Team, where he started in each of his first two international appearances last month and scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory at Panama.
Selected in the second round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft as a two-time NCAA champion at the University of Maryland, Zusi has appeared in 67 matches with six goals and 10 assists in his first three MLS seasons.
Transaction: Sporting Kansas City (MLS) re-signs midfielder Graham Zusi
