Sporting KC Ready To Bring In Mexican Defender Aaron Galindo?

Late Tuesday night, Sporting Kansas City CEO/president Robb Heineman tweeted that the team had received a verbal commitment from a "centerback-defensive midfield"-type player. The Daily Wiz, the same place that brought you Aurelien Collin before anybody else in the universe, mind you, believes that this player is Mexican international defender Aaron Galindo.

Galindo, a 28-year old central defender standing 6-foot tall, last played for Chivas de Guadelajara - newly-signed designated player Omar Bravo's former club - but hasn't appeared in a competitive game since April 2010. Thanks to SB Nation's Kevin McCauley, who follows the Mexican Primera Division almost religiously, I have gathered that the reason for this is the Mexican club and Galindo came to disagreement over a combination of injury and payment.

The Daily Wiz also believes that Heineman and Sporting KC technical director/head coach Peter Vermes have been working to bring Galindo into the fold for quite some time now. The long-time target signed a 4-year contract with CD Guadelajara in the winter of 2009, but was outright released at the end of the Bicentenario (spring 2010), despite still having two years left on his contract. The club and player are currently waging court battle over a reported $6 million dollar settlement.

In terms of play on the field, Galindo fits half of the mold of Vermes' perfect centerback pairing, with Aurelien Collin's physical, bruising style being the yin to Galindo's yang. Known more as a mobile defender, assuming past injuries haven't hampered Galindo's physical abilities too much, current starter Matt Besler, who right now occupies that athletic half of the defense, looks to be the first person bumped from the regular Starting XI, with Julio Cesar Santos holding his starting place (when healthy) until Collin is eligible to sign and/or play for the club, reportedly in June 2011.

Because it has to be mentioned: Despite having made 20 appearances for the Mexican senior national team, perhaps the bit of his career Galindo is most well-known for is his one-year performance enhancing drug suspension that he received after he and Mexican teammate Salvador Carmona tested positive unspecified PED's at the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup.