Nashville SC added a veteran goal-scorer to an attack that will need to produce more goals than it did in 2020.
C.J. Sapong joined the Western Conference club as a free agent signing, making the move after leaving the Chicago Fire. Sapong has signed a two-year deal with the second-year MLS franchise, which comes with an option for a third year.
Sapong has totaled 276 MLS appearances in his career, scoring 71 goals and registering 25 assists. He comes into the attacking corps in Gary Smith’s squad which includes Rodrigo Piñeiro, Jhonder Cádiz, Randall Leal, Hany Mukhtar, and Daniel Ríos.
The 32-year-old has also played for Sporting KC and the Philadelphia Union in his career, before moving to the Chicago Fire in 2019. Sapong totaled 13 goals in his first season for the Fire, before only netting two in 11 appearances in a shortened 2020 campaign.
Nashville SC reached the postseason in its first MLS season and will be seeking to go even further in 2021.
Here is a look at some other key headlines from around MLS:
Dynamo re-signs veteran defender Figueroa
Tab Ramos has retained a key piece of his backline heading into the 2021 MLS season.
The Houston Dynamo announced the re-signing of Maynor Figueroa on Wednesday, keeping him retained for the upcoming campaign. Figueroa’s deal also comes with a club option for 2022.
The Honduran international returns for his third season with the Dynamo after first signing in January 2019. Figueroa started in 19 games for the Dynamo in 2020 and led the club in blocks (20), clearances (73) and interceptions (41) in his sixth overall MLS season.
Figueroa also scored two goals in 2020 for the Dynamo, who missed the postseason in Ramos’ first season in charge. He brings a slew of experience to the Dynamo’s defensive corps after eight seasons in the English Premier League, prior to a move to MLS with FC Dallas.
Former Revs defender Mancienne joins Burton Albion
Former New England Revolution defender Michael Mancienne has returned to England in hopes of continuing his club career.
League One side Burton Albion announced that Mancienne has signed for the remainder of the 2021 season. Mancienne, 33, whose contract option was declined by the Revs in December, returns to his native country after spending the last three seasons in MLS.
The London native came up through the Chelsea youth system and combined for 262 appearances for the Blues, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Queens Park Rangers and Nottingham Forest, while also spending three seasons with Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga.
After arriving in Foxborough midway through the 2018 season, Mancienne would start 27 of the 31 regular season matches he appeared in over a three-year stretch with the Revs.
Burton Albion is in a relegation battle in League One, currently in last place and five points from safety.
Report: Earthquakes reportedLY interested in Remedi
Eric Remedi’s time with Atlanta United looks to be over, but the midfielder is reportedly on the radar of another MLS club.
The San Jose Earthquakes have reportedly joined San Lorenzo and Independiente in the race for the Argentinian midfielder, TyC Sports reported Wednesday. Remedi joined the Five Stripes from Banfield in 2018, before seeing his minutes reduced just two seasons later.
Remedi made 18 combined league appearances for the Five Stripes in 2018, helping Tata Martino’s side win MLS Cup. He improved to 29 appearances in 2019 for the Five Stripes, but only appeared in 13 matches during a shortened 2020 campaign.
Prior to his move to MLS, Remedi made 68 appearances for Banfield in the Argentina Primeira Division while also appearing in the Copa Libertadores. His move to San Jose would provide depth in defensive midfield, where Jackson Yueill and Judson.