Sporting Kansas City still short in squad numbers

Sporting Kansas City supporters are eagerly anticipating the club’s next transfer signing. The club has already added a number of players this winter, which at first glance suggests a busy and productive offseason.

However, when looking closer at the numbers, the activity is not quite what it appears. While several new faces have arrived, the reality is that the club has not yet replaced all of the players who departed following its disappointing 2025 campaign.

Who have Sporting Kansas City signed?

Supporters might hear that Sporting Kansas City have been active in the transfer market, but the real question is simple: who exactly has arrived?

The players signed by the club include Stefan Cleveland, Kwaku Angyabeng, Justin Reynolds, Calvin Harris, Wyatt Meyer, Jayden Reid, Lasse Berg Johnsen, Taylor Calheira, Ethan Bartlow, and Or Blorian.

Several of those signings came through familiar MLS mechanisms. Cleveland and Reynolds joined the club through MLS trades, while Bartlow, Meyer, and Reid all earned contracts after successful preseason trials. Winger Harris arrived as a free agent after leaving the Colorado Rapids during the offseason, while Angyabeng entered the club via the MLS SuperDraft.

Two players were brought in through paid transfers, with Johnsen and Calheira joining from Malmo and FC Tulas, respectively. Blorian, meanwhile, will not arrive until the summer after signing a pre-contract agreement with the club.

On paper, adding 10 players to the roster would normally represent an aggressive effort to strengthen the squad. That is partially true, but the reality is that Sporting still haven’t replaced the players who left at the end of last term.

The 2025 exodus

Following the end of the 2025 MLS regular season, Sporting Kansas City entered the offseason in a difficult position. The team finished 15th in the Western Conference and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

In total, 10 players left the club after their contracts expired or the club declined their contract options. Allowing that many players to leave on free transfers represents poor financial management. While turnover can be necessary after a disappointing season, letting contracts run down without recouping value is rarely good business for any club.

This pattern has not been entirely unusual during the era of former head coach and sporting director Peter Vermes. Vermes did occasionally sell players at the right moment — Dom Dwyer’s sale during the final year of his contract remains a notable example — but the pattern has often seen Sporting allow players to leave without transfer fees. Sporting potentially left significant value on the table letting these players go.

Loan departures add to the numbers

Beyond the players released or out of contract, two loan players also returned to their parent clubs when their deals expired. Those players were Santiago Munoz and Alan Montes.

Munoz finished fourth on the team in goals with three in 21 appearances and added two assists during the season. While those numbers are modest, they carried weight on a team that managed only 46 goals across the entire regular season.

Montes had far less of an impact. The defender appeared just eight times for Sporting Kansas City, totaling 458 minutes on the field. His limited involvement meant he had little opportunity to influence a defense that ultimately conceded 70 goals, which was the most in MLS during the 2025 campaign.

Daniel Salloi’s sale adds to the departures

The final player to leave the club was Daniel Salloi, who was sold to Toronto FC for a fee that could reach $1 million prior to the start of the 2026 MLS season.

While the transfer at least generated a potential return, it still added another name to the growing list of outgoing players.

When combining those released, out of contract, expired loans, or sold, Sporting Kansas City ultimately parted ways with 13 players during the offseason.

The squad still isn’t fully replaced

This is where the numbers become difficult to ignore. Sporting Kansas City have signed 10 players during the offseason, not including homegrown academy players who are not yet ready to contribute regularly to the first team. As a result, the incoming signings have only partially replaced the players who left.

In simple terms, the club has lost 13 players and brought in 10 replacements.

That leaves a clear gap in the squad.

Sporting director David Lee still needs to sign three more players to fully replace the outgoing group. With 16 days remaining before the MLS transfer window closes, there is still time to address the imbalance.

Sporting Kansas City are likely to sign at least one more player before the window shuts, and possibly two if the club pushes to complete additional deals. Sporting Kansas City are still operating with fewer replacements than the number of players who departed. Lee has admitted bringing players into the club for 2026 has been more difficult than expected. Supporters will hope that the difficulty eases, with players joining and improving the side for the rest of the season.