Sporting Kansas City trades goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas to Nashville SC

Following today’s Major League Soccer expansion draft, Sporting Kansas City traded 24-year-old goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas to expansion side Nashville SC. In return, Sporting KC will receive $50K in General Allocation Money (GAM), $125K in Targeted Allocation Money (TAM), and a 2020 International Roster Slot (expiring on 12/31/2020).

Zendejas joined Sporting KC in December 2016 after playing for the Swope Park Rangers throughout the club’s first season. Primarily serving as a backup, Zendejas appeared in only one MLS match for SKC, starting a 1-1 draw against FC Cincinnati on April 7, 2019.

Outside of MLS league play, the 24-year-old keeper started one 2019 Concacaf Champions League match (a 2-1 loss in the first leg against Independiente) and three US Open Cup games in 2018 and 2019 (two victories and a loss).

Zendejas signed for the Swope Park Rangers in June 2016 and would go on to start more than 50 games for the club over the next three and a half seasons. He helped lead the Rangers to the USL Cup Final in both 2016 and 2017, including scoring the game-winning penalty kick over the OKC Energy in the 2017 Western Conference Final that sent Swope Park to the USL Cup Final.

The trade leaves Sporting KC with starter Tim Melia and backup Eric Dick at goalkeeper, and leaves 18-year-old John Pulskamp as the presumptive starter for Sporting KC II (formerly Swope Park) in 2020.

After a disastrous 2020 MLS season, Sporting KC now has more allocation funds and an additional international roster slot to use to bolster the roster. Owner Mike Illig previously said the club will look to sign the mythical No. 9 this off-season, as well as an attacking midfielder and a center back.

Sporting KC receives:

$50K General Allocation (GAM)

$125K Targeted Allocation Money (TAM)

2020 International Roster Slot (expiring 12/31/2020)

Nashville SC receives:

Adrian Zendejas (GK)