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Source: Sporting KC Tried to Bring Busio Back

And they weren’t the only MLS team making a run at the USMNT player.

SS Lazio v Venezia FC - Serie A
Gianluca Busio of Venezia FC during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and Venezia FC at Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy on 14 March 2022.
Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Gianluca Busio returning to Sporting Kansas City was apparently closer than we knew. Back at the beginning of the summer, there were reports that Busio had an option in his contract to be loaned out if Venezia FC were relegated to Serie B in Italy, which they were.

The Blue Testament told you back then why it was unlikely to happen. However, according to a new report from MLS reporting savant Tom Bogert, Sporting KC made a run at Busio along with MLS expansion side Charlotte FC. Busio is from the Charlotte area, so that makes sense.

However, Busio has apparently decided to sign an extension and remove the relegation loan clause from his contract in exchange for a longer contract. As Tom points out, Gianluca Busio appeared in 29 Serie A games and him sticking around will be big in pushing to get Venezia promoted back to the top flight of Italy. He’s also a fringe member of the USMNT and will be guaranteed playtime to try to make the 2022 World Cup roster.

SKC fans will remember that Busio was sold last summer for a record transfer fee, which can climb up to $10.5 million through “easily achievable” bonuses, plus a 20 percent sell-on fee. To have gotten that haul and still gotten Busio back to help down the stretch this season would have been great. However, it wasn’t meant to be, like we indicated earlier in the summer.

The message from the team is clear, Sporting KC were trying everything they could. Almost surely Busio would have slotted into the defensive midfielder role that has been lacking all season. Maybe he’ll come ‘home’ someday, but this transfer window isn’t that day.