Where must Sporting Kansas City strengthen before the transfer window closes?

Sporting Kansas City are four matches into the 2026 MLS season. The team has picked up four points from four matches, doing so with the smallest, most fragile squad in MLS. Just 23 players are currently under contract with the club, and of those, only 19 are outfield players.

Raphael Wicky’s team is still small and fragile, the equivalent of Forrest Gump as a child. The hope is that soon, the squad will be far bigger and stronger, shattering the braces that support it.

Just a week ago, Sporting Kansas City announced the transfer signing of forward Capita. The Angolan arrives from Poland’s Radomiak Radom, strengthening the attack. Yet, even with Capita’s signing, Sporting Kansas City are still in need of further players and greater quality.

Saturday’s 2-1 win over the LA Galaxy showed just how a high-quality midfielder—Lasse Berg Johnsen—can alter the side in a positive way. So, where do Sporting Kansas City still need to strengthen?

A roster still under construction

Let’s remember that at the end of the 2025 season, Sporting Kansas City let 13 players leave the club due to expiring contracts. Sporting director David Lee is still in the process of replacing those players. 

So far, Sporting Kansas City have signed Justin Reynolds, Stefan Cleveland, Calvin Harris, Ethan Bartlow, Wyatt Meyer, Jayden Reid, Johnsen, Taylor Calheira, Or Blorian, and Capita.

Although some areas of the team have been addressed, there is still work to be done to make the squad more competitive.

Stability between the posts and at the back

The goalkeeper position is certainly secured. John Pulskamp is firmly the team’s No. 1. If you needed reminding of how good his shot-stopping can be, go back and watch the highlights from the LA Galaxy game. 

Pulskamp may need further development in his distribution, but his shot-stopping is solid. He has saved a third of all shots faced and also stopped a penalty against the Columbus Crew.

Center-back also feels settled, at least for now. Sporting Kansas City conceded 70 goals a season ago—the most in the league—and the defense needed surgery. Lee has reshaped that unit, with all four starters against the LA Galaxy joining the club in the offseason.

Bartlow and Meyer are looking more and more impressive at the back. Yes, Meyer still has weaknesses in his game, but he had only played eight professional matches for Nashville before being released and signed by Sporting. 

Wicky also has Jansen Miller, Ian James, and Blorian available in central defense. Although Blorian won’t arrive until the summer after signing a pre-contract.

Left side locked in, right side still a question

Left-back also feels like a strong position for now. Reid has made the role his own, appearing in all four MLS games. He was released by St. Louis City at the end of the 2025 season. If Sporting Kansas City make the playoffs with Reid playing a key role all season, his signing could prove to be one of the best moneyball moves of the campaign in MLS. 

Zorhan Bassong was expected to start at left-back, but a hamstring injury has kept him out of the squad, giving Reid the opportunity to shine. Reid’s defensive statistics show his importance: 18 duels won, nine tackles, and 24 ball recoveries. 

His attacking output can improve, but Sporting Kansas City have often been forced to play more defensively and on the counter. It was Reid’s forward pass that sparked the move leading to their second goal against Columbus.

Outside of those areas, reinforcements are still needed. Right-back, in particular, requires attention. Reynolds is first choice, but with the speed and power he relies on, muscle injuries are always right around the corner.

Jake Davis, Jansen Miller, and James have all filled in during Reynolds’ absence, but none offer the same level of play. Davis is currently the best option, especially with Johnsen now in midfield, but a reliable back-up right-back is still needed.

Midfield needs experience

Jacob Bartlett had his best game of the season against the Galaxy, though the bar was low going into the match. The arrival of Johnsen highlighted exactly what an experienced, high-quality midfielder can bring to this young team.

Sporting Kansas City would benefit from adding another veteran central midfielder, giving Bartlett the chance to develop without carrying too much responsibility too soon. Bartlett can be a liability. However, watching and learning could help him immensely. 

Wide options show promise but lack consistency

The wing position was addressed with the signing of Capita, giving Wicky four wide attacking options. Shapi Suleymanov has suddenly come to life, though not necessarily because of his attacking output. Instead, it’s his work off the ball that has stood out.

In possession, Shapi has shown signs of settling in Kansas City. He has 12 touches in the opposition box for a team that struggles to get forward and has been fouled six times—an underrated indicator of his involvement. However, his six shots with just one on target highlight a lack of finishing quality. I’m not exactly sure if he is a winger capable of playing a strong role in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.

Harris has plenty of promise and contributed twice to Sporting Kansas City goals against Columbus. However, when he doesn’t see the ball, he can become virtually invisible. He had just 17 touches against the Galaxy, underlining the inconsistency in his involvement. As it stands, Harris has an 8% percentile ranking according to Fotmob compared to wingers and midfielders in similar leagues. Not great. 

Stephen Afrifa picked up an assist against the Galaxy with a smart pull-back to Johnsen in the second half. Injuries have limited him to just 47 minutes in 2026, but his contributions have been positive. His late shot against San Diego nearly earned a result, showing his potential impact.

Reliance on Joveljic up top

Then there is the striker position. No one is going to unseat Dejan Joveljic. He is the best finisher in MLS—just watch his three goals this season. He has scored three times from 10 shots with an expected goals figure of 2.18. One of his standout traits is the ability to score from seemingly nothing chances.

Joveljic has put 60% of his shots on target, despite limited service. He averages just 31 touches per game, with only 3.25 touches per match in the opponent’s penalty area. The production, given those numbers, is remarkable.

Calheira joined Sporting Kansas City from FC Tulsa in the offseason. Despite being 23, he remains raw. He took the traditional American soccer pathway to the professional ranks and scored 15 goals in the USL Championship last season. MLS represents a significant step up in quality.

Calheira is not Joveljic, but he could develop into a viable backup. Still, a more experienced striker—either in MLS or from a strong European league—would be a far safer option. If Joveljic were to miss time through injury, Sporting Kansas City would find themselves up the proverbial creek.