Rumor: Sporting KC Have Made an Offer to RB Salzburg for a CB

Another day and another rumor for Sporting Kansas City. Once again, GiveMeSport’s Tom Bogert comes through with the story. “Thommy Scoops” is reporting that Sporting KC have made an offer to RB Salzburg for 21-year-old center back Bryan Okoh.

🇨🇭🇺🇸🔵 Sources: Sporting KC have made an offer to RB Salzburg for Swiss youth int'l center back Bryan Okoh. Talks ongoing.Okoh, 21, was born in the US. He has made 61 apps for FC Liefering in Austrian second division and 3 apps with Salzburg first team.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-01-28T20:58:37.219Z

While he’s on the roster of RB Salzburg, who play in the Austrian Bundesliga, he has only played one minute for them in the last four seasons. And that was in the 2022-23 season.

The Houston, Texas born midfielder who represents Switzerland at the youth international levels, played significant minutes on loan with FC Liefering (Austrian second division), which is their feeder team. According to the always reliable Wikipedia, he has 57 appearances and three goals in the second division.

With the various youth levels of the Swiss National Team, Okoh has racked up 21 appearances and three goals.

He did have a knee injury back in the 2021-22 season and a few muscle strains over the years that have cost him time. Injuries are always something Sporting KC fans have an eye on based on the team’s past injury troubles.

Roster and Budget Fit

Transfermarkt shows Okoh under contract through the summer of 2028. That presumably means a transfer fee would be needed to pry him free. At just 21-years-old, he would qualify for a U-22 Initiative roster spot, depending on his salary. That means they can pay an unlimited transfer fee, as long as his salary is under the budget max of $743,750 (for 2025). TM only lists his current value at €800,000. 

If Okoh is signed under the U-22 Initiative, that would bring the total to three players (Logan Ndenbe, Robert Voloder). The team could add a fourth if they plan to limit themselves to two Designated Players. That would also give them an additional $2 million in General Allocation Money (GAM). Or SKC could stop at three U-22s if they want to add three “true” DPs that are above the Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) threshold.

If he were to join the team, that’s a suddenly very full center back room. The team already has Dany Rosero, Joaquin Fernandez, Robert Voloder and Ian James signed. Also, they spent their 8th overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft on Jansen Miller out of Indiana.

If all six players are on the roster, that’s a bit deeper than we’d typically see. Perhaps Sporting KC see one of them as playing right back for the club. Maybe one of these guys isn’t going to still be on the club (Okoh included, it is just a rumor). It’s possible James goes on loan to SKC II all year or Jansen is signed to the II’s. Or perhaps it’s a signing with an eye to the future. Voloder and Fernandez are out of contract after 2025. Rosero has an option for 2026, but his contract could be declined. If the defense has another year like the last few, it may be time for wholesale changes in the back.

This is the first transfer window of the rebuild, so many more dominoes will surely fall.

Highlights

Usually, defender highlights can be a little boring. That isn’t how many would describe these Bryan Okoh highlights. He steals the ball and he’s off to the races. If you lose it, that can be awful leaving an odd man rush. But it also can create numbers for an attack.

Okoh is also listed at 6’2 and 200 pounds and he looks like that could be true. He seems bigger than everyone else on the field most of the time.

Overall, he looks quick, quite technical and promising. But just because Sporting KC made an offer doesn’t mean RB Salzburg will accept.

What do you think of the Okoh rumor? Weigh in below in the comments.