Sporting KC meets MLS roster deadline. Zusi’s option declined; club says talks continue

Nick Tre. Smith/file photo/Special to the Star

Sporting Kansas City has announced its moves to meet the Tuesday Major League Soccer roster deadline ahead of the 2023 season.

Sporting KC exercised contract options for midfielder Cam Duke, defender Kortne Ford and goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh.

But the club has declined contract options for defenders Nicolas Isimat-Mirin, Kaveh Rad and longtime Sporting KC veteran and former U.S. National Team player Graham Zusi.

In the case of the latter player, at least, that doesn’t necessarily mean Zusi’s time in an SKC kit is through.

Per a team news release: “Sporting is currently in discussions to retain Zusi, midfielder Roger Espinoza and defender Andreu Fontas, all of whom are out of contract with the club.”

Espinoza is another longtime Sporting KC veteran.

Sporting KC also announced that it has signed midfielder Felipe Hernandez, forward Khiry Shelton and goalkeeper Tim Melia to new MLS contracts. Hernandez and Shelton have signed through 2025 with options for 2026, while Melia has signed through 2024.

Seventeen Sporting KC players enter the official 2023 league year with guaranteed contracts:: Willy Agada, Ozzie Cisneros, Jake Davis, Gadi Kinda, Logan Ndenbe, Kayden Pierre, Alan Pulido, John Pulskamp, Nemanja Radoja, Uri Rosell, Johnny Russell, Daniel Salloi, Ben Sweat, Erik Thommy, Marinos Tzionis, Robert Voloder and Remi Walter.

Sporting KC now has 23 players under contract for the 2023 MLS season:

  • Goalkeepers (3): Kendall McIntosh, Tim Melia, John Pulskamp

  • Defenders (5): Kortne Ford, Logan Ndenbe, Kayden Pierre, Ben Sweat, Robert Voloder

  • Midfielders (9): Ozzie Cisneros, Jake Davis, Cam Duke, Felipe Hernandez, Gadi Kinda, Nemanja Radoja, Uri Rosell, Erik Thommy, Remi Walter

  • Forwards (6): Willy Agada, Alan Pulido, Johnny Russell, Daniel Salloi, Khiry Shelton, Marinos Tzionis

The 2023 season kicks off during the final weekend of February.

Other near-term key dates for all MLS clubs:

  • Wednesday: Free Agency opens (noon CT)

  • Thursday: Re-Entry Draft, Stage 1 (noon CT); also, end-of-year waivers (4 p.m. CT)

  • Tuesday, Nov. 22: Re-Entry Draft, Stage 2 (noon CT)

  • Wednesday, Dec. 21: MLS SuperDraft (time TBD)

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