Sporting KC today announced the club's fourth designated player, Argentine, Claudio Bieler. Bieler comes to KC from Ecuadorian club, LDU Quito, who with Bieler on the roster, won the Copa Libertadores in 2008, and finished second to Manchester United at the FIFA Club World Cup.
After a return to his native Argentina where he played with Racing Club and Newell's Old Boys, Bieler returned to Quito in the 2010/2011 season and has been playing with the club ever since.
Bieler's the striker that many fans have been calling for and waiting for to be signed since last season. Bieler certainly has the pedegree to be a very good goal scorer in this league. In 36 games last season, Bieler scored 20 goals in 24 games, and since rejoining Quito has averaged a goal basically every other game. In his career with Quito he scored 71 goals in 155 games.
Sporting did pay a transfer fee to acquire Bieler's rights, but the amount is "undisclosed."
As long as Bieler can adjust to the physicality that there is in MLS, he should do very well here and give KC a goal scorer that can score 13 plus goals a season. The good news though is that Bieler is right around the prime age for a striker, he'll turned 29 just before the start of the 2013 MLS season.
KC has now made some improvements to all 3 sets of field players (forward, midfield, defense). I'm sure there may be another move or two made, but at this point don't be surprised if KC sits back and relaxes while other teams rush around. KC is like the mom who got all her Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving and now gets to watch as everyone else scrambles to get presents.
too early to start wondering about the line-up? seems the only 2 spots that aren't rock solid as to who will be starting are left forward and defensive mid. i could see convey retaking the starting spot on the left if he is healthy. he and bieler would probably play well off each other. but cj, pj and jp could all end up there. not to mention saad or dwyer if they make progress in the offseason. and for d-mid, gotta think rossel, maybe larry o. and jp and pj both might end up there also.
ReplyDeleteFor the draft, I'd like the team to pick up the best available left-footer.
ReplyDeleteThe system would work so much better if crosses and headers from both sides were possible.
I am a fan of this Claudio. He sure can play!
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