They are not overwhelming, but I don't hate the signings. We need solid professional depth, and if Burns sees these two as upgrades over the depth last year, that's great. You are correct, they do not solve any first 11 problems for us, or, really elevate the first 16.
These are the types of signings I was kind of expecting to see several of at this point. Placeholders we can get for now until we have time to hopefully identify and sign better options.
Yup. Theses signings are literally 1 year band aids that a real club puts on their 2 team. As said previously, the criteria for player signings for SKC 2026 is human with a pulse. Professional soccer experience preferred but not required. So far, all David Lee has done is sell assets and take an eternity to make decisions. Uninspiring is putting it very mildly
It does feel like an inordinate number of deals fell through due to bizarre, uncontrollable reasons. Sports is always going to be judged by results, not "almosts" - sure. But you can't say David Lee has just been sitting on his hands or anything.
Hired in late September. Signed his coach in January. 3 months. Transfer tracker is below. In 4 months has signed home growns, draft choices and MLS scrap heap players. Time on the job - over 4 months. Accomplishments. Liquidated player assets. Signed coach. Signed SKC II level players to first team. Tried really hard to sign foreign players. Almost achieved roster compliance. Care to reconsider?
yeah, everyone agreed that SKC 2025 needed an upgraded roster. What we have now, less than three weeks before game one, is a downgraded roster and no noise about important incomings. Lot's of other MLS sides are signing the players they want. The oh no, woopsies on a left back and a wing, everyone has moments like that. No one else in MLS is in our position. I have had seasons where third Bundesliga clubs have been in this situaiton, but FFS. Lee still gets the benefit of the doubt because he's new, but he wasted time with Wicky (they had an immediate connection, so WTF wait until January). I can't argue that he should have held on to some of the players he booted, but WTF if he didn't intend to replace them there are players who are massive depth upgrades over nobody, or the people we've signed. Compare to what we were thinking about the roster last year at this time. First 11: Keeper: We're probably even, maybe a smidge better. Defense, massive decline. Midfield: Decline Front line: decline Gameday 18: Massive decline. 19-30: Decline (when I mention upgrades over the current roster, I mean Logan and Memo)
Not necessarily 2026, since he'll be with SKCII this year, but I like this. He's seen as the academy's best player since Busio. https://www.sportingkc.com/news/spo...ga-to-contract-with-skc-ii-and-skc-first-team
The only point I'm trying to make is the amount of effort put into a deal that falls through at the last second due to weird circumstances is virtually indistinguishable from the amount of effort put into a deal that goes through. Don't disagree with you on any of the above.
I know, Buzz is right, and i'm set for disappointment, but there were three teams rumored to be pursuing Juljan Shehu, Polish superleague player from Albania. One team was in Spain, transfer window closed on Monday. The second was Pana in the Greek super league, window closing right now (two minutes). Third was SKC. He plays for Widzew Lodz, who are pretty decent and in financial trouble. TM values him at 3.5m euro, so $4m. They were asking for $2.4m. We're the last suitor standing.
Literally half our roster has new numbers this year... lol New season, new jersey numbers 🔢📰: https://t.co/ELQkhSOklE pic.twitter.com/0QqHk4I8JM— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) February 6, 2026
I realize I'm being unnecessarily harsh here, but the fact that after the initial rumor mentioned SKC things went radio silent in Europe specifically regarding SKC makes it likely it was just agent talk or something similar.
I know, but there is so little talk. To be honest, he makes sense. The story is that Pana made a bid below 2m euro and it was turned down, and they signed someone else. Valencia didn't make a bid, and signed a better (if older) dmid on a free. Now, maybe, the agent threw SKC into the pot because who in Greece or Spain has ever heard of football in Kansas City, but the way the Albanian press gushes over the guy in the last 18 months, he makes sense for us. So, yes, probably not a real story. But it should be real. And if not real, WTF have we been doing? We've known we needed a new dmid since it became clear that Radoja was not cutting it. Without a major upgrade at dmid i kind of sense that any possession based tactic is going to fail miserably. Dmid should have been priority one from last Feb on. Until priority one becaue an entirely new defense and others...
I just saw this, does it mean something that Manu is listed as our 6? Or it is simply because for some reason Salloi retains the 10? That's really interesting. I don't think he's a 6, but who knows. Maybe as a regista type, the Italian deeper-lying playmaker role? Maybe next to Davis who does a lot of work. By traditional numbers, all of the additions, bar Harris, have sub numbers. It's interesting that Harris was handed the 11. Again, probably doens't mean anything these days, but back in the 90s?
Yeah I don't think there's a lot to read into player numbers anymore. He was wearing the number 6 when we signed him, if transfermarkt is correct.
Yeah I wouldn't read anything specific into the numbers. Manu going to 6 I don't think has anything to do with Salloi having the 10, as Inca said he was 6 at Aris. If you wanna get "interesting" it's how empty the traditional defender numbers 3, 4, 5 are all currently empty. Or more likely just wishful thinking.
Article today, about the upcoming WCQ between Albania and Poland, focused on him, and he said that despite the interest from Greece, Spain, Italy and Saudi, he was settled in Poland. So it was probably never more than agent chatter. too bad.
So what is the over/under on signings before roster day? 0,1 or maybe 2! I will say 1. We have to sign someone.
Midfielder rumor. https://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/fotboll/a/XMq6Go/avslojar-lasse-berg-johnsen-pa-vag-till-mls?
Okay, Norwegian national teamer. Looks to be a solid player. TM says a $4.6m value. Only question I have is that he's very clearly a center mid and while I have zero problems with a new center mid, I think we have much bigger problems in defensive mid. But they know what they really want. Be nice if someone could be signed.
I'm not agaiost him in any way. He's got a good sense of the game, really calm under pressure, splits lines well, switches the field well. Of course, this is from highlights and who TF knows if those are actually representative of his play or just, as the headline says, highlights. As for does he fit our current needs: Heck yeah. He is alive. He plays football. He's healthy. And we can afford him, but others are chasing him so he has something, I'd think..