Making moves for 2023, Sporting KC adds defensive midfielder with European resume

One of the key questions heading into Sporting KC’s offseason was how the team would address its defensive midfielder position.

It’s still months until kickoff for the 2023 season, but Sporting answered that question Wednesday by signing a defensive midfielder with top-level European experience.

His name is Nemanja Radoja, and he is a Serbian defensive midfielder with eight years of La Liga experience with Celta Vigo and Levante. He was a teammate of Sporting KC defender Andreu Fontás at Celta from 2014-18.

Radoja, 29, is a free agent, as his contract finished when his previous club, Levante, was relegated following the 2021/22 season. This means Sporting KC does not have to pay a transfer fee to acquire him. He has signed a three-year contract through 2025, with an option for 2026.

Born in Novi Sad, Serbia, Nemanja Radoja’s career began with Vojvodina in his native country. He played in the youth academy before cementing himself as a starter from 2012-2014, making 69 appearances, including eight Europa league appearances and a 2014 Serbian Cup title.

In 2014 he left his native Serbia, moving to Celta Vigo in the Spanish La Liga, where he made a total of 146 appearances across 4 seasons. He tallied one goal and five assists across La Liga, Europa League, and Copa Del Rey play.

He made 50 appearances in the 2016/2017 season for Celta, as the Galician giants marched their way to the semi-finals in both the Copa Del Rey and Europa League, where they fell to eventual champions Manchester United.

Following the 2017/2018 season, Radoja moved to Levante UD, another La Liga side from the city of Valencia. There he made another 74 total appearances with Levante until they were relegated at the end of the 21/22 season.

Radoja has experience playing as a defensive midfielder in multiple systems, but his play at Celta mirrors Sporting’s system more closely. Sporting employs a single pivot or “singular six” in their midfield, which Radoja manned at Celta quite often.

At Levante, he was utilized in both a single pivot and a double pivot in their lineups showing his versatility across the midfield. Addressing the defensive midfielder position was one of the more important questions of the offseason.

Remi Walter has manned that spot for a good portion of the last two years as players were shuffled around due to injury. He took a firm grasp on the role during Sporting’s 10-game run to close the season and was an influential part of the midfield on both sides of the ball. However, Vermes has noted many times that he views Walter as an “8,” or box-to-box midfielder that plays in the position/fashion of Roger Espinoza than he is a “6.” Radoja adds a lot to the mix in that position with Uri Rossell in the mix as well. It also gives Vermes a lot of different options for a midfield that is growing in depth.

Unfortunately for those trying to look at the 2023 roster with a crystal ball, it doesn’t bring much clarity to the decisions they still need to make. Sporting KC’s roster moves need to be submitted to the league by November 14th.

Those decisions include contract options to pick up for: Cam Duke, Nicolas Isimat-Mirin, Kaveh Rad, Khiry Shelton, and Graham Zusi. In addition to those five: Tim Melia, Andreu Fontás, Roger Espinoza, and Felipe Hernandez are all out of contract.

Those decisions are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.