Kwaku Agyabeng should be Sporting Kansas City’s starting No. 6

Sporting Kansas City selected midfielder Kwaku Agyabeng fourth overall in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. At one time, being chosen that high would have led MLS to gush over both the player and the club’s scouting. But this is 2026, and the SuperDraft no longer carries the same relevance it once did thanks to academies, MLS NEXT Pro teams, and clubs scouting aggressively across the globe.

Still, the draft continues to produce useful players. Every season, college prospects emerge and make meaningful contributions at the MLS level.

Agyabeng already looks like one of those players.

His arrival has not transformed Sporting Kansas City’s fortunes, but that says more about the state of the team than it does the rookie. The 2026 season was sold as a rebuild under soccer supremo David Lee and head coach Raphael Wicky. So far, it has looked less like a rebuild and more like a continuation of the past two years with different personnel. Next season will be a rebuild in the Sprint Season and the full campaign after that. At least, with the way things are going.

That is what makes Agyabeng stand out. He is one of the few players on the roster who feels like someone Sporting Kansas City can actually build around.

Early signs of a player with upside

The 19-year-old athletic midfielder spent one season with the Clemson Tigers, starting 15 of 16 matches while scoring once and adding one assist. His freshman honors were significant: Third Team All-ACC, ACC All-Freshman Team, ACC Defensive Player of the Week, and TopDrawerSoccer’s No. 6 freshman in its Top 100.

College soccer and MLS are obviously different worlds, but Agyabeng has adapted quickly. Born in Kumasi, Ghana, he has had to settle into a new country and a far different level of competition. That transition has not looked overwhelming. In fact, he has looked increasingly comfortable despite playing in a struggling side.

Used out wide, but built for midfield

During preseason, Wicky deployed Agyabeng as a No. 6 alongside Manu Garcia in a 4-4-2. But after the sale of Daniel Salloi altered tactical plans, Wicky shifted systems and Agyabeng was moved to the left side, often as a left-back or left wing-back.

To his credit, he has handled that role well and has recently displaced Jayden Reid by offering more athleticism and more recovery ability. But left-back does not feel like his long-term position.

Sporting Kansas City are desperate for a true No. 6—someone capable of winning the ball, covering space, and then moving possession forward. Wicky has tried Jake Davis, Jacob Bartlett, and Shapi in different midfield combinations, yet none have locked down the role as an unquestioned starter. Lasse Berg Johnsen is a strong player, but with Sporting Kansas City’s issues elsewhere on the pitch, can’t do it alone.

That leaves an obvious question: why not Agyabeng as the No. 6?

The numbers suggest he deserves the chance

Agyabeng’s athleticism and adaptability make him an ideal candidate to sit alongside Johnsen and Manu Garcia in midfield. At the very least, he deserves the opportunity to try over the course of 90 minutes.Bartlett got his chances. So have Shapi and Davis.

Despite Sporting Kansas City losing their last two matches, Wicky has trusted Agyabeng enough to hand him full 90-minute shifts. The teenager’s numbers already show a player holding his own in the worst team in MLS.

After nine matches, Agyabeng has contributed 12 tackles, five interceptions, 16 ball recoveries, six successful dribbles, 29 duels won, eight fouls won, and an 88% pass completion rate. Across multiple categories, those figures place him near the top of the roster.

Even in last weekend’s ugly 5-0 loss to the Chicago Fire, Agyabeng was one of the few positives. He was Sporting Kansas City’s highest-rated player on FotMob, recording 55 touches, completing 25 of 30 passes, producing three successful dribbles, three tackles, three interceptions, and two recoveries.

Those are strong numbers from a player operating at left wing-back. Imagine him in the middle of the park where he has more influence.

Sporting KC may already have their midfield solution

That is what makes this so intriguing. Agyabeng is playing well on the left, but Sporting Kansas City’s greatest need is in defensive midfield.

Imagine those same recovery numbers, duels won, and ball progression coming from the center of the pitch rather than the touchline. You want your best ball players in the center of midfield. Meanwhile, full-back is often a position for players who are weaker on the ball. Getting Agyabeng where he can see plenty of the ball during a game is a must.

At minimum, it would give Sporting Kansas City a better chance of shielding center-backs who have spent much of 2026 battered, beaten, and bloodied. Wicky keeps searching for answers at the 6. The answer is already in his starting XI.

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