Sporting KC
Rumor: Verbal Agreement for Sporting KC to Sign Yann Gboho Reached
The initial rumor in the summer had Toulouse asking for $20 million for the attacker, Gboho. The window closes in MLS on Wednesday.
The summer transfer window in Major League Soccer closes on Wednesday, September 2nd. Sporting Kansas City, who just moved on from two Designated Players in Dejan Joveljic and Manu Garcia, are in need of reinforcements.
One may be on the way.
Santi Aouna, journalist from Foot Mercato in France, is reporting a verbal agreement has been reached between Toulouse and Sporting KC for attacker Yann Gboho. He goes on to say, via translation, “contractual agreement” has been reached between SKC and the player.
That name probably sounds familiar, because nearly three months ago at the beginning of June, Paul Tenorio and Tom Bogert reported the interest.
Toulouse had valued Gboho at $20 million, a number that seemed unfathomable for Sporting KC fans at the time but has now been announced as their new normal in DP negotiations after the record signing of Andre Luiz for a deal worth up to $22 million.
Sporting KC Fit
There is so much more information available on Gboho in our original story, but where would he fit with these changes if he were to arrive?
He’s mostly played on the left wing, according to Transfermarkt. However, they also list him on the right and at attacking midfielder. Andre Luiz seemingly will claim the right wing spot, so that leaves the other spots for Gboho.
Sporting KC have a lot of guys that can play on the wing and already spent on Capita Capemba earlier in the season and signed Calvin Harris. Capita has mostly played on the right but can play wide left. We’ve not seen him in the middle of the park, though we have seen Harris there. Obviously, Taylor Calheira played that second striker/attacking midfielder role at times, but he’s traditionally a striker with his prior clubs.
I imagine it’ll be Andre and Gboho on the field for sure, with Rapha Wicky mix and matching guys to get the best out of what has been a lackluster attacker in 2026.
A Possible French Spoiler
In the report from Aouna, he mentions the possibility Olympique Lyonnais could step in and ruin everything for Kansas City. They have already added big players but are interested in Gboho as well.
The deadline has passed for the French transfer window (for incoming players), closing out earlier today. However, the French league has something called Article 213, the “Joker Rule,” that allows them to make one signing outside the window as long as it’s from another French team.
By all accounts, this could be their one out of window signing from within the league. However, there are some complications. If the French translations are correct, the move could fall out of the UEFA squad registration deadline for European competition. They do have until the 2nd, so with time zone differences, that puts the MLS deadline only slightly later than the UEFA cutoff for OL to play Gboho in Europa League. Otherwise, they can’t register him for non-Ligue 1 competitions until January.
Update: The issue is another transfer they made and if they got it over the line. If they did not, then it would count as their “Joker Rule” signing and SKC would be secure to finish the Gboho deal without OL interference.
We’ll see what shakes out in the next day plus and if Sporting KC are linked to any other moves at the last moment.
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This and the Abraham potential signing has me excited? Deliberate question mark, as I think it means moving one of these wingers into an attacking mid role. It could be great, or it means a player not maximized or perhaps becoming an expensive super sub.
The Gboho thing may be falling apart, but those that watch Toulouse said he “plays” LW but drifts centrally a lot. So maybe he should just be in the middle?
Abraham also sounds dead. I can’t remember if I actually wrote that up. So much is happening so fast, it would be nice if I could get paid to do this instead of the old 8-5.
Too bad we didn’t have a mls top scoring striker to go with these $20 million wings
This team was never going to use Jovelic to his full potential. We have no creativity in service and an unwillingness to create in the middle. You could have Zlatan sitting in the 9 and we’d still be in last place.
A great signing. Next? Footmercato reports that “Folarin Balogun was not with the group. The American striker, who was also close to a move to Everton in the final hours of the transfer window, had already missed previous training sessions.” He sounds unhappy that the deal didn’t go through, but he walked instead of reworking a deal with Everton.
Balogun is available and wants away, that sounds pretty clear. It would be a huge statement by Mallouk, not only to SKC club and fans, but to MLS and global football, to make this happen.
Monaco sold him yesterday and had planned for the season without him.
I know, he’s way outside our budget, but we considered Mo.
Nobody is outside the budget. Mallouk can buy any player he wants. The question is whether Balogun fits the profile of player we want.
This is true. It’s why I mentioned him, because he does operate in some spaces differently than Jovelic, though both do a lot of stuff an elite level. Balogun is exceptionally smart and aggressive in the press, and strong in possession if the press works. That said, no clue what about Jovelic’s game didn’t fit our needs, so not sure if Balogun would fit the profile, either. Going up the ladder from him, maybe Mbappe?
Gotta downvote that man. Sending the current frontrunner for the national 9 in the next World Cup to the absolute pits of the MLS when he could be back in the EPL is CRAZY. Like what an awful, awful idea. That said, that deal fell apart because of his physical (which could mean anything). The last place Balo wants to go is KC.
Meanwhile, we will just continue to leak goals!!!
The best defense is a good offense?
But truly, it starts at the front with the press, which has been mid. It won’t fix everything, but it won’t hurt if they can press properly.