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Sporting Kansas City announced the signing of 19-year-old midfielder Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal as a Homegrown Player.
Kuzain is the first player to make a stop on each level of the pipeline, starting with the Sporting KC Academy in 2016, signing an Academy contract with the Swope Park Rangers in 2016 and then a pro contract with the Rangers in 2017. Kuzain has now signed with Sporting KC through 2020 with option for 20121 and 2022.
“It’s a blessing, what 19-year-old kid doesn’t want to be signed to Sporting KC. I’m living in a dream right now,” Kuzain told reporters after practice Friday. “The end goal was to get on the first team, it got here quicker than I imagined.”
Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes has been pleased watching Kuzain develop. “It’s exciting to see him develop as a player and it might sound corny, but I am proud to see the way he has come through our system and the way that he has progressed and when he has been challenged he has taken on that challenge and learned from and gotten better. That is what we are expecting when we talk about creating a pro-pathway such as we have done here and to see how these guys have come through the ranks.”
Vermes described Kuzain’s strengths, “He’s got some really good individual qualities, he is very technical on the ball. He’s clean, he’s efficient in the way that he does things. He doesn’t take too many extra touches. I challenged him over the last probably year and a half to really pay attention to the way Ilie plays the position. Especially his positioning on the field and where the ball is in certain areas and he has been a real good student of the game.”
In four matches with Swope Park this season Kuzain has completed 90.8% of his passes, helping the Rangers to 3-1-1 start.
VITALS
Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal (wahn koo-ZANE wahn kuh-MAHL)
Position: Midfielder
Number: 75
Born: 9/14/1998 (19 years old)
Height: 5-10
Weight: 160 lbs.
Hometown: Carbondale, Illinois
Birthplace: Carbondale, Illinois
Citizenship: USA, Malaysia
Sporting KC 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 | 1/15/2009 | 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 | None | |
| Roger Espinoza | CM | DP | 1/6/2015 | 2018 | None |
| Daniel Salloi | LW | INT-HG | 1/13/2016 | 2019 | 2020, 2021 |
| Diego Rubio | CF | 3/8/2016 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| Adrian Zendejas | GK | 12/2/2016 | 2018 | 2019, 2020 | |
| Gerso Fernandes | RW | 1/4/2017 | 2019 | 2020 | |
| Ilie Sanchez | CDM | 1/13/2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| Colton Storm | RB | 1/13/2017 | 2018 | 2019, 2020 | |
| Amer Didic | CB | 5/31/2017 | 2018 | 2019, 2020 | |
| Cristian Lobato | LB | INT | 6/29/2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| Gianluca Busio | FWD | HG | 8/25/2017 | 2020 | 2021, 2022 |
| Kharlton Belmar | FWD | 9/15/2017 | 2018 | 2019, 2020 | |
| Khiry Shelton | FWD | 12/14/2017 | 2018 | Unknown | |
| Yohan Croizet | CAM | INT-DP | 12/15/2017 | 2020 | 2021 |
| Jaylin Lindsey | RB | HG | 1/1/2018 | 2021 | 2022 |
| 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 | 1/31/2018 | 2020 | 2021 |
| Felipe Gutierrez | CM | INT-DP | 2/6/2018 | 2020 | 2021 |
| Eric Dick | GK | 2/15/2018 | 2018 | 2019, 2020, 2021 | |
| Graham Smith | CB | 2/15/2018 | 2018 | 2019, 2020, 2021 | |
| Brad Evans | RB | 2/20/2018 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| Kuzain | CDM | HG | 4/13/2018 | 2020 | 2021, 2022 |