Sporting KC announced the return of Soony Saad to Sporting Kansas City today. The former Kansas City forward had spent the last two years playing in Thailand, most recently with Pattaya United, scoring nine goals in 28 appearances. Saad becomes the third former Kansas City player to return to Sporting KC in the last 14 months joining Igor Juliao and Lawrence Olum in that category. He had been linked with a move to Minnesota United, even to the point of United and Sporting negotiating over Saad's MLS rights (since KC still held them), but Sporting ended up reaching an agreement with Saad instead.
He's scored 14 goals over his career so far with Kansas City, eight in league play, both of which see him jump to fourth among Sporting KC's active players in terms of goal scoring for the club. Saad will come into a very crowded from three for KC in their 4-3-3 system as the club now have 10 healthy players whose primary position is one of the front three spots in KC's lineup, it'll become 11 when Diego Rubio returns from injury. His experience in MLS though will certainly be a plus for him with the squad but it wouldn't be a surprised to see one of the 10 players released or waived before the season starts. His signing gives Sporting KC 28 players currently under contract for the 2017 season, although one of those, Rubio, will likely be placed on injured reserve as he continues to rehab his torn ACL. That means KC would still have one roster spot at this time to fill.
Saad's time in KC was up and down for the forward as appeared 58 times over four years for KC in league play, 45 over the final two years, but played just 2,603 minutes for KC, less than 45 minutes an appearance for KC. He couldn't ever lock down a starting position to get more consistent minutes and after the 2014 season couldn't come to terms with KC on a new deal.
Saad's return will reunite him with his former partner in crime, Dom Dwyer, the pair were fan favorites when they were in KC together and were part of the infamous selfie celebration by Dwyer.
6 comments:
Will he take up an international roster spot?
No, born in Michigan.
No he's an American citizen (represented US at youth levels before switching to join Lebanon as a full international).
At least he scores at a higher rate than Jake.....
...and Zusi.
And there's that...... ugh.
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