Sporting KC Announce Five Roster Changes for Leagues Cup

With Leagues Cup 2024 set to kick off over the weekend, each team in Major League Soccer and Liga MX unveiled their rosters on Thursday. For Sporting Kansas City, there were four additions and a noticeable subtraction.

#SportingKC's roster for the tournament starting tomorrow is out. The biggest note on the roster is Tzionis is NOT on it. SKCII players Goumballe, Tschantret, Vidal and Cruz are. pic.twitter.com/DLpNWMYtdR

— Mike (@downthebyline) July 25, 2024

Where is Marinos Tzionis?

Daniel Sperry of the KC Star asked Peter Vermes about Marinos Tzionis in practice yesterday. Vermes said, “There’ll be more news on that to come.”

Tzionis hasn’t appeared in a game since he started against the Colorado Rapids on July 4th before being subbed out at the half. He was on the bench the following match against FC Dallas, but in the subsequent four games he’s not even showed up there, despite the team fielding benches that didn’t include all nine available subs.

This morning, Reddit user “LostInspection5450” said he talked to him at the airport, and he was headed back to Europe.

Reddit sleuth LostInspection5450 seems to confirm Marino's Tzionis departed KC today. I'd expect a transfer announcement of some sort very soon. Probably leaving to take medicals. #SportingKC pic.twitter.com/Ex6TeUGbyL

— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) July 25, 2024

Nothing is official yet, but my guess is if he’s being sold that he needs to go complete medicals for his new team and when that’s official and everything is signed, the team will make an announcement. However, that’s pure speculation on my part. He could be leaving on a free transfer too.

Update 5:14 PM: Earlier today the KC Star’s Daniel Sperry called his exit “imminent.”

Marinos Tzionis originally joined Sporting KC ahead of the 2022 season for Cyprus. He joined as a U-22 Initiative signing on a rumored transfer fee of around $2 million, but never really broke through with Sporting KC. In league play, he made 57 appearances including 16 starts for 1,751 minutes. In that time, he scored twice and added a single assist. He did play a little in non-league competitions as well, scoring in multiple US Open Cup games, including a critical one against Union Omaha this season.

If he is being sold, which we have no indication that is the case, then it would free up a U-22 spot that Sporting KC can spend an unlimited transfer fee on, but the salary is limited to the league max budget charge which is $683,750 in 2024. The only U-22 rumor we’ve heard that hasn’t been debunked is for 21-year-old Bryant Ortega out of Venezuela.

Four New Players

Sporting KC added four players from Sporting KC II to the Leagues Cup roster, including: Sebastian Cruz, Pau Vidal, Maouloune Goumballe and Cielo Tschantret. If you haven’t had the pleasure of watching SKC II this year, here is a little breakdown on each player.

Sebastian Cruz – A 5’7 ball of energy. He never stops running and plugs in wherever coach Benny Feilhaber needs him game to game. The 23-year-old was a former SKC Academy member and is 3rd on the team this year in minutes (1,315). He’s scored four goals and added an astounding 10 assists as he’s primarily moved to the midfield this season. He’s listed as a forward and has often played out wide but can play the false 9 in a pinch. He’s even seen time at fullback as needed.

Pau Vidal – The 22-year-old came over from Spain last season and was a star. He scored 11 goals from his center forward spot, despite missing a decent amount of time with injury. He’s much taller than a typical SKC Academy player but injuries continue to plague him. In 2024 he’s only made two starts over 12 appearances for a mere 365 minutes. In that time, he has two goals and three assists.

Maouloune Goumballe – Possibly the breakout player of the 2024 team. Goumballe is 23 and signed after a five-year collegiate career at Indiana University. He primarily plays on the right wing and has been a pacey addition to SKC II. He’s second on the team in minutes this season (1,379) and third in goals scored (6).

Credit: Thad Bell

Cielo Tschantret – Another SKC Academy product, the 18-year-old signed as a professional this season after playing at times as an amateur last year. He’s started 10 of 14 appearances this season and managed to contribute a goal and three assists from his defensive midfielder spot. At times he’s been tasked to play as a box-to-box midfielder as well, but he seems more comfortable deeper in the formation. Cielo is the son of Lee Tschantret, who is currently the U-19 academy coach for SKC and a former member of the Kansas City Attack where he won the 1997 NPSL Championship title.

It’s good to see some Sporting KC II players getting time potentially with the first team. With KC’s lack of midfielder depth, Cruz and Cielo make a ton of sense. With their lack of a pure attacking midfielder, it was somewhat of a surprise to not see Kamron Habibullah get a shot. He’s second on the team in scoring with seven goals, though six of those came across two games. He’s still only 20-years-old and seemingly has first team potential.

The same is true of midfielder Ethan Bryant, who had a breakout performance for the first team in the US Open Cup in 2023 but has played less for the II’s this year. He’s only started nine times in 17 appearances for 822 minutes but has managed three goals and six assists. Bryant came over on a transfer fee from USL League One’s Richmond Kickers and is still just 22.

SKC II are in action tonight at 10:00 PM (!!) on the road against the Portland Timbers 2.

Other Updates

Kayden Pierre and Johnny Russell were both absent for at least a portion of Wednesday’s practice and Vermes indicated the team was just taking it easy with them as they work back from injuries. It didn’t seem like new injuries, just the prior ones that they’ve already returned from, but it wasn’t clear.

The team also rostered Logan Ndenbe, who was shown in practice today as well and was questionable for the last league game against St. Louis City SC. He hasn’t played since the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Of note, Felipe Hernandez, who is suspended, is not listed on the roster either.

More on the Leagues Cup in the coming days with the first game for SKC coming on Sunday night at home.