By TATE STEINLAGEÂ
When Oriol Rosell arrived at Sporting Kansas City two years ago, he was a very young midfielder still trying to establish himself as a professional player. After two seasons in the Sporting KC system, Rosell is returning to Europe a player in demand, one ready for the next significant step in his budding career.
Sporting KC Â has reached an agreement with Portuguese powerhouse Sporting CP for the transfer of Rosell, 21, for an undisclosed fee. Early reports Tuesday said that Rosell was in Lisbon to finalize the transfer, with the official release coming just a few hours later.
“Our idea is not to be a selling club by any means, but sometimes economics are what they are,” Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes told the Kansas City Star.
Rosell made 31 appearances in 2013 for Sporting KC in league play, starting in all 31 matches, scoring one goal and adding two assists as the main defensive midfielder for Vermes’ squad. In December, Rosell made his first international appearance for Catalonia in a 4-1 victory over the Cape Verde Islands.
Sporting Clube de Portugal finished second this year in the Liga ZON Sagres. The club will compete in the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League alongside league action.
As with all MLS transfers, Sporting KC will receive two-thirds of the Rosell transfer fee to use as allocation money for a number of actions including to sign players, re-sign current MLS players, and more.
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What do you make of the transfer? Good move by Sporting KC? Do you see the club making splashes this summer to make up for Rosell’s play?
Share your comments below.
$1.3million is ultra cheap even for 1990’s standards.
Bravo, just what Klinsmann wants. This guy is a lock for next cycle. But, I don’t think that Klinsmann will last that long based on his poor decisionsces of late. Bing back Bruce Arena who took us to quarters. He is the best US coach ever.
I’m pretty sure this is the fake Maykol, because the real one would know that the player in question is Catalan/Spanish.
It is also possible the real one is being sarcastic.
Nope, I definitely didnt write that. I think everybody knows Rossi is Spanish/Catalan
Plus Maykol hearts Klinsmann big time
How so?
I wouldn’t want to coach at the international level again. Too many fixtures.
As a SKC fan I would like to see the team keep all the players they have developed or corrected. However showing that if the right bid offer comes along they are willing to let a player move on is huge for the team long term. Look at the players on this team that have been developed. 2 US starters Besler and Zusi, Espinoza went to the EPL and in a transfer (yes the team was relegated), Kamara was on loan with an EPL team that did not buy because they were worried about relegation. This past weekend Sporting played a backline for most of the game where 3 of the 4 players were 22 or younger and they held their own. Sure they would like to have had option 1-5 and not have to play any of those players right now, but that is some young talent.
I have faith that this team can 1) find players with potential 2) develop that potential 3) continue to be one of the best teams in the league. It sounds like Sporting KC should get close to $1M for this transfer in which they paid nothing to get the player. I like to think what this team can go out and get with that money. Plus if you are after a kid who has talent and wants to play why not go to Sporting with the track record they are setting?
+1 – well put.
how come Benny isn’t getting a similar offer? Isn’t it apparent they’re on the same level?
He is 29 years old and is a pretty different style of player
Good luck Ori. The kind of international player we need more of and a passionate defender of the MLS.
Best of luck to him. Quality player! And great job by SKC picking him up
Sporting paid 1million euros($1.3m). Rosell signed for 5 years. KC will get a % of future transfer.
Cheap depth potential starte. Will be competing with a 20 year old bulgarian(recenty bought for $1.3m) to be the backup DM this season with a chance to be the starting DM next year when William Carvalho gets sold for big money.
http://www.ojogo.pt/Futebol/1a_liga/Sporting/interior.aspx?content_id=3952188.
Best comment from that link: vamos ter baseball este ano no Lumiar?!
We’re going to have baseball this year at Lumiar?!
WOW. Kansas city biggest dopes in MLS for that bargain.
For sure, worst run team in the league, no clue what they are doing, should be moved to make a 3rd NY team. What have they even done?
They picked him up for free paying him 150k a year for less than 2 entire seasons for under 300k. They just sold him for 1.3 million. 425% turnaround in 2 seasons. Id say they are financial geniuses
Note: Kansas city is complete CONCACAF, they need more depth, and especially in defenders and wingers.
The rumor I’ve heard is that the fee is right around $1 mil, not a great fee really
For a defensive midfielder making $150k per year, it certainly is.
Was thinking they might get closer to $2 mil for him, not a huge difference. The guy who said $5 mil above me is off his rocker.
That’s a fair point, thanks.
Rosell is a d-mid. Nagamura is a d-mid as well and has been playing very well. Maybe that has something to do with the transfer.
Naga played in front of Uri in more a box to box role, but they basically both started at a CDM
This is how the MLS should do business like in the Dutch League. Resell value i think is big for the league. Also stop buying retirement age players. Go after Chicaritos or fernando torres type players. Players who aren’t playing but are big names in their prime
You risk the league hollowing out or becoming a retirement league if you sell the young players on, don’t retain any, and then go sign O-30s.
One time makes business sense, in general dictates you are second or third tier.
I don’t think MLS really has to worry about that. Few other leagues on the planet will be able to match MLS’s financial clout in 10-15 years if it continues to grow at its current pace.
Bottom line is, there’s 280 million people in the US, another 30 million in Canada…and MLS is also drawing heavily from all the CONCACAF nations – Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica. That’s one motherhuge talent pool. And MLS franchises – and academies – are springing up like mushrooms.
Grow your team now. Position your team well now. Get the best players you can now, the best value you can now…and use the surplus to build your academy. You do that and you’ll have a financial position that’s just WAAAAY better in five years than it is today.
You drastically underestimate the population of the United States. According to the Census Bureau there are currently over 318 million of us. http://www.census.gov/popclock/
Which only makes his point even stronger…
Why let him go, if he can a DP then make him one. Doesn’t skc coach vermes likes to bench his dps.
Was there talk of making Rosell a DP?
Idk but skc got lucky with last years MLS cup win and why does vermes bench dps like if he’s guardiola or something.
If I’m an MLS coach, I would definitely not bench my DP which they have more experience and skill.
You actually build around your DP.
You understand that it was just that his starting spot was taken over by a RED HOT Dom Dwyer who is in contention for the Golden Boot… right? If thats not what you mean then what DP are you talking about?
Uri was hurt a couple minutes into the cup final.
Vermes clearly has no idea what he is doing, you are very strong at hot sports takes.
No
Not sure you can keep a young player who has a 5 year deal from a UCL team on the table either.
Rosell isn’t big enough name, won’t bring new people to stadium or increase TV ratings, and unproven Internationally level. I do agree Rosell deserve a raise, but MLS needs change DP rule and increase maxium salary 650k.
“MLS needs change DP rule and increase maxium salary 650k”
That would require a HUGE increase in the current salary cap.
750k increase would be huge MLS teams to complete in Internationally. And MLS teams could use more of transfer money for salary cap increase. Example: any over $1million could be use buy-in salary cap.
If they got at least $5million = good deal (good deal, not great one). Rosell is EU players and 21.
Kansa city needs reinforce that defense and bring another DP for CONCACAF, so MLS won’t be humilate like last time.
No chance he’s worth $5 million to a team in Portugal.
As Freddy Adu scratches his balding head…
He will be teaming up with former MLSer Fredy Montero though….
Rosell is EU and young, selling below $5million idiotic for the league. Shea was worth more without EU passport.
He’s not worth $5M anywhere. Very good player, but let’s not get crazy here.
There’s non-EU players sold double or triple that price.
What position did they play? I bet they aren’t defensive midfielders.
Yes. There’s DM go went over that.
Sporting CP paid like 3 million for Montero, your valuation is really overboard
WHAT!!!! Only $3million!
Is there an exact figure?
Interesting. Good business for Sporting KC.