Transfer Window Closes Today

Today MLS' secondary transfer window closes, which means that teams won't be able to bring in talent from foreign leagues again until the new window opens in January (trade deadline and roster freeze is still to come in September so player additions can still be made). Sporting KC has been quiet when it comes to additions this window. They've brought in no players so far this window, although there have been a couple rumors.

The biggest has been Jorge Claros, the Honduran defensive midfielder who represented his country in the Gold Cup. Many reports out of Honduras have said that the former Hibernian player is down to two choices for his team. He'll either stay with his current club, Motagua in Honduras, or he'll sign with Sporting Kansas City. One other report has also linked the midfielder with Real Salt Lake, but I haven't seen a lot of that mentioned. Reports out of Scotland today though are stating that Claros is still wanting Hibs to purchase his contract. From reading the articles, Claros really wants to get out of Honduras. Should Claros come to MLS the question would be who between KC and RSL (the two teams linked with him) have first dibs through the discovery process. Either way, Claros looks very keen to leave the Honduran league and play abroad.

The other rumor that has quickly died on the vine, was Luis Bolaños, an Ecuadorian winger from LDU Quito. He was linked with a move to KC, where he'd join up again with Claudio Bieler, but Bolaños now looks set to remain at Quito.

KC though hasn't been a big player as a whole in the league's secondary window the last few years since Peter Vermes took over as head coach. Much of that has to do with the fact that KC hasn't needed to look to fill any big holes and have been able to bring in guys who at the time were role players. Vermes has used the summer window to bring in guys who were more likely to contribute in the future than provide immediate impact. Over the last few years those summer window additions have included Oriol Rosell, who only made a handful of appearances in 2012 before becoming a starter this year, Lawrence Olum, who made just one appearance in 2011 before becoming KC's primary back up at center back in 2012, Peterson Joseph, like Olum made just one appearance in 2011 before becoming a key contributor over the past two seasons.  On the other side, since Vermes took over there are really been only three guys who were brought in for immediate impact.  Kei Kamara and Zoltan Hercegfalvi are two of those guys, but to be fair, both of them were brought in during the 2009 season when KC was struggling and Vermes hadn't fully established his style. But both of them were brought in to be immediate impacts. The other player that was brought in to be an immediate impact was Jeferson, the team's third designated player was brought in during the 2011 season to help creatively in the midfield. He didn't have a great impact though and only lasted the half a season.

So the history hasn't spoken to Vermes being very busy this window when it comes to bringing in guys who will contribute immediately. In fact, Vermes has even said it's hard on players signed during this window to get integrated in the team and in KC's style of play enough that they can really contribute in the season they're acquired.