Sporting KC II Add United States Youth International Center Back

Another day and another signing for Sporting Kansas City II. Tuesday saw the USL Championship team add their fourth player in a week. Last week it was SKC Academy signing Kaveh Rad and two Croatians on loan.

Tuesday saw SKC II add a former United States youth international (pictured above in white battling current MLS player Brooks Lennon). Danny Barbir will be the 13th player signed for the 2020 season.

Barbir is a 21-year-old center back who started his youth soccer career in Pennsylvania. He played for Lehigh Valley United and Players Development Academy before ultimately joining the Philadelphia Union Academy. As a youth, he then headed across the pond and played for both Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion. He became a pro back in 2015 (at 16-years-of-age) for West Brom.

He played on several United States youth international teams including the U-15s, U-17s and U-19s.

Barbir will immediately be one of the tallest players on the pitch for Sporting KC II. He stands 6’3”. He’ll return to the USL Championship after joining Vancouver Whitecaps 2 late in the 2017 season.

Danny most recently played for Sandhausen II (German fifth division) after going out on loan from Astra Giurgiu (Romania). Barbir is a dual citizen of both the United States and Romania.

In just a couple days Barbir will turn 22 (January 31st). He’ll join K. Rad and Petar Cuic as the only central defenders on the roster. 2019 2nd round SuperDraft pick Camden Riley can line up at CB as well but he played holding midfield in preseason for SKC. Luis Olivera is the only left back on the team and there are still no right backs. There is plenty of time to add players and someone like Cameron Duke could end up playing RB on loan from the first team.