Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Sporting Sign Appiah, Trade Dia for Porter

Sporting Sign Emmanuel Appiah

Sporting Kansas City made a pair of moves today, first they added another player to their roster in the summer transfer window, picking up Emmanuel Appiah up off of waivers today. Appiah was the 15th overall pick in this past January's Superdraft out of Cincinnati where he was for five years by the Colorado Rapids. He'd been loaned to the Rapids' USL affiliate, the Charlotte Independence back in March. While with the Independence, Appiah appeared just twice before he was recalled on June 20th. He appeared on the bench for the Rapids in their 0-0 draw with the LA Galaxy on June 22nd before being waived on June 30th.

On first viewing, this isn't a signing that will get fans that excited; a few have already made comments about still missing Jordi Quintilla. This signing to me is a typical end of the roster summer signing for Peter Vermes. It feels in the same vein that Brendan Ruiz in 2013 and Michael Kafari in 2014 were players who were brought in on a flier because they were young and cheap to see if Vermes could find a diamond. If not the player has been gone before the next preseason.

His signing puts Kansas City with 26 roster spots filled currently, leaving them with two open slots at the moment if they are going to make any further moves this transfer window.

Amadou Dia Traded to Montreal for Cameron Porter

KC also today announced that the club had traded defender and former first round pick, Amadou Dia to the Montreal Impact in exchange for forward, Cameron Porter. This was a move for KC that makes total sense. Amadou Dia had lost his spot at left back for Sporting KC with the emergence of Jimmy Medranda and signing of Ever Alvarado which saw him loaned to the Swope Park Rangers. Add in veteran Seth Sinovic and KC was overloaded at the left back position and you knew a move had to come at some point. Dia likely had the most value to other teams in terms of a trade partner with Sinovic having already said he was ready to retire after being selected by Montreal in their expansion draft.

In exchange Kansas City gets Montreal folk hero, Cameron Porter. Porter became an immediate Impact legend when he scored three minutes into second half stoppage time against Pachuca to send the Impact through to the semifinals of the 2014-2015 CONCACAF Champions League on away goals. Montreal would end up losing in the finals that year, but Porter would play no part in that. Unfortunately a couple weeks after that big goal Porter would tear his ACL in a game against the New England Revolution and be done for the year after having surgery. Porter hasn't played for the Impact since, although he has appeared for the Impact's USL team FC Montreal this season.

Porter gives Kansas City another attacking option and allows them to move some depth at left back, overall a trade that makes sense for both teams.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

maybe i'm overrating dia, but i think we should have gotten more for a young proven left back than some 3rd round flyer who has been injured his entire career.

also, alvarado was responsible for both goals SPR allowed last night. if medranda gets injured and seth isn't looking like his old self we might just be playing besler at left back.