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Sporting Sign Eighth Homegrown Player

Sporting Kansas City added another defender to their roster today.

MLS: U.S. Open Cup Final-New York Red Bulls at Sporting KC Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Sporting Kansas City added another player to their roster today, signing another homegrown player, Matthew Lewis. The Kansas City native captained Sporting’s U18 academy team in the 2013-2014 season before moving on to Fordham University. At Fordham, Lewis was a four year starter, setting school records for starts and appearances.

This past season, Lewis helped lead the Rams to the College Cup quarterfinals before losing out to teammate Zach Wright and the University of North Carolina 2-1. Lewis helped Fordham to record 11 shutouts and earned the Atlantic 10’s Defensive Player of the Year this year.

Lewis joins what is becoming a crowded centerback group at Sporting where the club has added one player already and has a second they picked up in the first round of the draft. Currently the centerback situation is six deep for KC with starters Matt Besler and Ike Opara backed up by the recently acquired Emiliano Amor, returning Amer Didic, first round draft pick Graham Smith, and now Lewis. The number is up to seven if you include Kevin Ellis, but since he is not reporting to preseason and is still being shopped by the club, he isn’t included in any depth chart. The likelihood is that one or even two of these players will find themselves playing for the Swope Park Rangers in 2018.

Here is SKC’s roster as it stands today.

Sporting KC’s Roster

Name Position Status Joined Contract Expiration Option Years
Name Position Status Joined Contract Expiration Option Years
Matt Besler CB 1/15/2009 2018 None
Graham Zusi RB DP 1/15/2009 2018 None
Kevin Ellis CB 2/18/2011 2018 None
Seth Sinovic LB 11/28/2011 2018 None
Ike Opara CB 12/12/2012 2019 2020
Jimmy Medranda CM 8/9/2013 2019 2020
Tim Melia GK 12/23/2014 2020 2021
Roger Espinoza CM DP 1/6/2015 2018 None
Daniel Salloi LW INT-HG 1/13/2016 2018 2019, 2020
Diego Rubio CF 3/8/2016 2018 2019
Adrian Zendejas GK 12/2/2016 2018 2019, 2020
Andrew Dykstra GK 12/22/2016 2018 None
Gerso Fernandes RW DP 1/4/2017 2019 2020
Ilie Sanchez CDM 1/13/2017 2018 2019
Colton Storm RB 1/13/2017 2018 2019, 2020
Soony Saad LW 1/30/2017 2018 2019
Amer Didic CB 5/31/2017 2018 2019, 2020
Cristian Lobato LB INT 6/29/2017 2018 2019
James Musa CDM INT 8/11/2017 2018 2019, 2020
Gianluca Busio FWD HG 8/25/2017 2020 2021, 2022
Kharlton Belmar FWD 9/15/2017 2018 2019, 2020
Jaylin Lindsey RB HG 1/1/2018 2021 2022
Khiry Shelton FWD 12/14/2017 2018 Unknown
Yohan Croizet CAM INT-DP 12/15/2017 2020 2021
Zach Wright FWD HG 1/17/2018 2018 2019, 2020, 2021
Emiliano Amor CB INT 1/18/2018 2018 Option to Buy
Matt Lewis CB HG 1/22/2018 2018 2019, 2020, 2021
Johnny Russell LW INT 1/13/2018 2020 2021

That’s 27 of 30 spots filled with four unsigned SuperDraft picks. This also shows four Designated Players but by the roster compliance date Sporting will have bought at least one down. Also, Kevin Ellis and Soony Saad are likely on their way out. Last, SportingKC.com no longer lists Ellis as a Homegrown player.