Rumor: Sporting KC’s Gutierrez Loosely Linked to Ecuador Transfer

Don’t panic. Just because another club wants Felipe, doesn’t mean he wants to go. On Monday, rumors leaked from a radio station — Radio La Red — in Ecuador that Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito were interested in acquiring Sporting Kansas City’s Felipe Gutierrez. The rumor was picked up by FutbolEcuador.com.

According to Google Translate:

“...the board of the Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito is working on the arrival of a heavyweight to occupy the front-line position in 2020; year in which they will have Copa Libertadores and Professional League.”

Apparently the club is having trouble keeping their current start, Jefferson Orejuela, who is on loan from Fluminense in Brazil.

This news comes on the heels of an interview Gutierrez gave, which we reported on yesterday, that he wanted to stay in Kansas City for four or five more years (he’s under contract through 2021 if you include his club option).

LDU Quito finished sixth in the Ecuadorian league in 2019. Of course they would love a player like Felipe. It’s like saying, ‘Sporting KC could sure use Messi on the wing.’ Sure they could, but he seems unlikely to ever come here and wanting and getting aren’t the same thing.

In other words, take this with a grain of salt. I, and others, don’t put much weight on this one. 2020 starts tomorrow. Look for many more rumors as transfer windows in many countries will open up.