Sporting Linked with Spanish Striker

Reports out of Turkey are linking Sporting Kansas City with that long sought after striker the club has stated time and again that they are chasing. This time KC is linked with Spanish forward, Alvaro Negredo who spent the 2017/2018 team with Turkish side Besiktas. The 32 year old scored seven league goals for 15 time Turkish champs this past season, he added another seven in Besiktas’ run to the semifinals of the Turkish Cup. Before moving to Turkey he’d spent time with Middlesbrough, Valencia, and Manchester City. This string of shorter stays with clubs came after successful stint at Sevilla from 2009 to 2013 where he scored 71 goals in 139 games. Since that stretch though he’s only scored 35 league goals in the six seasons since.

Negredo has shown he can score in the past, the question would be whether he could find some of his scoring touch from Sevilla if he came to the United States to play with Sporting. While Kansas City hasn’t gotten a whole lot of scoring from their center forwards, they have gotten increased scoring from the likes of Daniel Salloi and newcomer Johnny Russell. The work by Khiry Shelton has helped to create the space that has allowed that pair to find success on the wings. With that said, Peter Vermes and the club have continued to talk about the club’s desire and optimism for acquiring a forward. Those continued talks though could also be the reason for this rumor, as we’ve seen in the past with rumors and Kansas City, agents have thrown out Kansas City as a potential destination for their clients as a way to stir up interest from other clubs that may be interested in one of their client’s services.

Vermes has always been a little hesitant with the summer transfer window, even though it’s the busier of the two windows world wide because of trying to work a guy into the team at mid-season. He’s been much more interested in bringing in players who can contribute less in the current season and more in the next season. With their struggles to find a forward this past winter window, when teams in Europe were less willing to let go of a player in the middle of the season though Vermes has seemed more willing to work in the summer window. At 32 (33 in August) would Negredo fill that need for the club? He’s been a goal scorer in the past, but can he come into a team that at the moment is riding high and be that missing piece in front of goal that pushes KC over the top. His age is something that will cause some fans to raise an eyebrow, if you’re signing a high priced striker at this age, you’d hope that he’d produce or that he’s on a short term contract, where if he doesn’t produce, the club isn’t on the hook for his salary for long.

The transfer window for MLS teams reopens in 11 days on July 10th until August 9th, we’ll see if this rumor turns out to be true. And if not, we’ll find out if KC adds that striker piece they’ve been looking to add since the trade of Dom Dwyer last year.

[Editor: And just like that, our own Thad Bell has confirmed the Negredo rumors are not true.]