Sporting KC announces Johnny Russell

Sporting Kansas City announced Wednesday that they have acquired Scottish winger Johnny Russell. Reports have been surfacing since earlier in the week and are now official. Russell comes to Sporting KC after spending five seasons with Derby County FC in the second-division English Football League Championship

“He is a very accomplished player and has really good attacking qualities,” Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes told reporters after the deal was announced. “As we stated last year, we need to be better in the attacking third and there is no doubt in mind that he is going to help with that.”

“I think that he is one of those players that possesses qualities that can really lend themselves to success in the final third,” Vermes continued. “He also has a lot of experience in playing under a lot of pressure.”

The 27-year-old native of Glasgow has played 23 matches and scored 4 goals in the 2017-18 season, helping Derby County to second place and likely promotion.

“The next week or two that he has off from having to go to practice every day will be good for him, a little break mentally as well,” Vermes explained. “Then he comes in here and gets started with us once he gets all his docs, his P1 visa, his medical, all that stuff. Once he gets that all sorted out he will be ready to start making his way onto the team. We’re not going to rush it either, we have a whole season, a long season and we have to make sure he is for as much as he can, especially at the end.”