Sporting KC interest in Marko Marin and several players

Shortly before Sporting KC's match with Colorado, Sporting Kansas City's CEO Robb Heineman went on the pregame and gave a little info on the upcoming transfer window and specifically a player they are targeting.

Chelsea attacker, Marko Marin is in Sporting KC's sights. Marin was signed to five year deal three years ago with big expectations. He has been labeled the German Messi and Hazard Plan B but has not played a competitive match for Chelsea in a couple years. Marin has been on loan to Sevilla, Fiorentina, and Anderlecht but has few games at those clubs.

"He's a guy we feel could play both wings, play the attacking midfielder role. That's mainly what we are looking for is somebody that can bring some punch to the final third. We've got a number of central defenders that are in as well. For me, I think we need one more attacking piece and we think Marin could be a good one for us," Heineman said on the pregame.

Marin and several targets

After practice today, manager Peter Vermes confirmed the interest in Marin while discussing how hard it is to get deals done.

"There is a lot of guys on the radar, a lot of guys that we are talking to. It's just that every deal is so different. Getting a deal done is very difficult. Different circumstances that change every day since we are probably not the only team after that player so that just throws another wrench into it all," Vermes stated.

"It would be one thing if he was set on only coming to us and we were just finalizing terms but it is a lot of other things we are competing with and dealing with. Like I said, there are a lot of guys we are talking with and we are just not anywhere we would like to be yet."

When asked if he was referring specifically to Marko Marin, Vermes responded. "I am talking a lot of players, a lot of players.  He is on the radar for sure, I am confirming that he is on the radar it's just a lot of discussion guys out there."

It's got to be the right guy

Vermes was asked about bringing in another keeper but gave some insight to what he is looking for in every player.

"As long as it is the right one, the same with all the other players, it's got to be the right guy," Vermes answered. "I don't want to just bring a guy to bring a guy, to get a body. It's not about that. It's about getting the right person. We have a good group and a good culture within the group and I don't want to negatively affect it from that point of view because we are making a hasty decision nor do I want to add someone that is not going to have an impact on the field."

On the pregame show, Heineman was asked about the attempt to bring Rafael van der Vaart to Kansas City a few weeks ago but delved into the same sort of response that Vermes gave about making sure it is the right fit.

"The van der Vaart thing, I really like how the process went around that.," Heineman explained. "There was a lot of palace intrigue around that. He's a guy that had such a good reputation and he's a guy we really wanted to bring in but I think when we did all the due diligence around his health and maybe what his attitude would have been here in Kansas City we just didn't, with all due respect to him and his people we just didn't feel it was going to be a good fit. It was a good process to go through and I like us being on the market for people to know that we are in the market for quality players like that. It was a fun thing but in all honesty in probably never got all that close once we started to dig into it."

Dollars available, players needed

Heineman disclosed there was a player in town for the Colorado match checking out the local area and another would be in town for the Open Cup game with FC Dallas.

While SKC is looking at bringing in players, it sounded like Heineman was open to moving some if the deal was right.

"We have a highly coveted roster around the league so there are a number of different players that could be trade potential I suppose and then backfill them with some of these international guys that we are looking at," Heineman responded.

It is good Vermes is being frugal with the company money but Heineman seems ready to spend.

"I think we need to be really active in the window right now. From a shareholder perspective we are quite a ways under the player budget that we had allocated for this year. So we feel like we have some money to spend. I think we've got a really good team but I think we've got a real shot at winning MLS Cup if we just bolster a couple little spots so I hope we are active," Heineman stated.

"I feel we need a little more depth and you don't create depth with one guy, you create it through a couple," Heineman continued. "I do feel like if we had a real difference maker from an attacking perspective that allowed us to have a little bit of cover while Zusi is gone at the Gold Cup and is that guy that can dribble guys and take guys on. I feel like that is the most important piece for us."

"Hopefully we have enough dollars available that we can make a couple things happen."