New Contract for Sapong

photo courtesy of Jarred Donalson

The new contract signing that Robb Heineman mentioned on Twitter the other day has finally been announced. Last year's rookie of the year, CJ Sapong has earned himself a new contract. Last year, Sapong made $42,000 as a rookie. Sapong is likely getting himself a nice raise, although we won't know how much until the MLS players' union releases this year's salary figures.

The length of the contract was not announced either. Usually though, MLS deals are 4 year deals. Generally they're 2 years and then 2 1 year option deals that the club holds. The deal not only rewards Sapong for the role that he's played with the team by giving him more money, but it also locks him up long term for KC should a foreign club come calling. Sapong in the past has talked about his interest to eventually play abroad, but in a great interview on Talkin' Touches with Andy Edwards, Sapong sounds content right now to meet the challenges in front of him in MLS. Sapong says he's happy where he's at, but did say: "down the road, when I'm not getting the challenges I need here, when I need to go overseas and take my game to that next level then I'll exercise those options."

Sapong looks set to get plenty of minutes, at least over the next few weeks with Teal Bunbury gone with the US U23 team for Olympic qualifying.