Who Should Stay and Who Should Go from Sporting KC

As the offseason continues on, everyone following the movement of Sporting Kansas City are stuck waiting. The rebuild is coming, but nothing is public yet. That wait could last until as late as November 27th, the deadline for the team to announce if they’ve made bona fide offers and picked up or declined options. There are 16 players that the team needs to decide on.

On Tuesday, we asked for you all to vote. 276 of you cast your votes (full results at the bottom of the story). In addition, six writers for the KC Soccer Journal weighed in as well. I’m joined by Mike Kuhn, Juan Cisneros, Stacy Fulk, Josh Wallace and Daniel McCown in our roster decision. Others weighed in via our various podcasts, For the Glory KC and Shades of Blue.

As for the fan vote, no one left any player specific comments in the article, so the results are listed as a percentage under each player. As for the question we asked the fans of if the team could release a single under contract player and use their buyout, Alan Pulido was the runaway winner. Clearing a DP spot would be huge for this team, however unlikely they are to do it. Daniel Salloi came in second and a smattering of votes arrived for Nemanja Radoja, Khiry Shelton, Peter Vermes and a single vote for Jake Davis, which is insane!

Let’s get to the results!

Johnny Russell

Chad Smith (CS) – Russell is a legend and it’s probably clouding my mind. It really feels like the team is potentially going to move on from him. But if he wants to come back at a fairly significant discount from his prior $1 million salary, I think he’d be an impactful super sub. I’ve heard the arguments that having a captain come off the bench doesn’t make sense. I think he deserves one chance to turn it around. Peter Vermes just has to resist the urge to play him too many minutes.

Mike Kuhn (MK) – This is a hard one because from a “fan” standpoint I want Russell back at a reduced salary/role. But at the same time with a “rebuild” coming, older guys have to move out for new guys.

Stacy Fulk (SF) – Of the four out of contract players I would only make a strong argument for keeping Johnny Russell on a reduced salary. It seems as though he really wants to be here, and I think that the team could really use his attitude and leadership in the locker room moving forward. He has so much heart and desire to win and see this team succeed. He is also still useful as a late game sub to just do as much destruction and goal scoring as possible. We can all agree that he shouldn’t be a 90-minute first choice guy, but he is definitely worth keeping around. 

Josh Wallace (JW) – I know I’m not winning any popularity contests with this one. Listen, my thoughts
on JR are simple, he is one of the best to ever lace them up for SKC. However, he is making $1 million and only contributed seven goals last season. We need more dynamism, speed, and youth in the attack. I think it makes sense to move on to him rather than keep him on and have potentially five wingers on the roster. His salary will certainly buy us some new talent on the wing.

Fan Vote

• Re-Sign: 9.5%
• Re-Sign at a Discount: 62.5%
• Let Walk: 28%

Tim Melia

MK – Similar to Russell, though Melia definitely comes across more as a guy that could be brought back. Of the 4 out of contract to me he feels the most likely to return in 2025. That said I’m okay moving on here and bringing someone into challenge/push/displace John Pulskamp.

JW – Okay, hear me out. I love Tim Melia, he’s the best penalty saver in the MLS by far. At some point though it’s time to move on to Pulskamp. The numbers all speak to Melia losing a step and Pulskamp being nearly as effective. Right now, Melia and Pulskamp sit in the 90% percentile in postshot expected goals, which basically measures how likely a goalkeeper is to save a shot. However, Pulskamp sits in the 89 percentile in average distance defensive actions while Melia sits in the 43 percentile on the same stat. This means Pulskamp is way more active in the penalty box at getting out and potentially cutting out attacks. That ability for Melia has past him.

SF – I would love to keep Tim Melia and my heart says to do it, but I worry that if we continue to keep Tim around then John Pulskamp will never get the experience that he needs to get better as an MLS starting keeper. If it’s possible to keep Melia at a reduced salary as almost like a mentor keeper for John I would love that. However, I think if Tim is here then he continues to be the regular starting keeper and as good as he is I think we have to preparing for life after Melia and we can’t do that if he continues to be our #1 guy.

CS – I ended up in a lonely position here, as I was one of two writers to say bring Melia back at a discount. While I don’t disagree that he can’t be the guy forever, goalkeepers age different, and John Pulskamp is incredibly young for a keeper. He has so much time and I think he can learn more behind Melia (particularly around stopping PKs). Maybe the split of minutes gets closer, but I think Melia is the starting keeper for the next year and possibly beyond.

Fan Vote

• Re-Sign: 22.2%
• Re-Sign at a Discount: 46.2%
• Let Walk: 31.6%

Remi Walter

JW – I’m going to be honest. While I like Remi Walter and his timely goals from distance, his willingness to cover ground, his game is simply far too passive. He ranks in the 44th percentile for progressive passes, 26th percentile for progressive carries and 8th percentile for successful take-ons. Simply put, much of his game is playing backwards or sideways. That just won’t get it done if Sporting KC are to progress. Jake Davis offers similar qualities but is far more progressive in his play. I believe he will be Remi’s replacement.

CS – I have absolutely beat the subject of Remi Walter to death on For the Glory KC. My co-host (and wife) will keep him at any cost. But I believe I’ve even convinced her he’s gone. He made $900,000 and I’d argue he was outplayed by Jake Davis last year. He’s not physical enough and he almost never passes the ball forward, as Josh points out. He was a bad fit when the team switched to a 4-2-3-1, maybe partially due to injury, but I just don’t think he’s a good defensive midfielder. Yes, he works hard. But that hard work leaves him out of position too often. It’s time to move on.

MK – Of the four players out of contract, Walter is the one most likely looking for a pay raise heading into next season given his age. On those grounds alone it’s a no for me. He was a good player for KC, but he struggled in the double pivot when KC went that way and given his $900K salary this past year I’m ready to move on.

Fan Vote

• Re-Sign: 65.1%
• Let Walk: 34.9%

Remi was probably the largest divergence from our writers, who mostly were good with moving on.

Andreu Fontas

MK – For me this is the easiest of the four out of contract. He clearly wasn’t preferred by the end of the season. Thanks for the 2021 Defender of the Year finalist run but otherwise more miss than hit.

JW – Father time is undefeated and won his battle with Fontas. He doesn’t have the speed nor reaction time to defend anymore and has proven to be a massive defensive liability.

CS – Even at a minimum salary, it would be time to move on. He’d be effectively taking a spot best served to develop a young talent, perhaps like Ian James. Fontas had his moments, but it’s time to go.

Fan Vote

• Re-Sign: 3.3%
• Re-Sign at a Discount: 8.4%
• Let Walk: 88.3%

Erik Thommy

Daniel McCown (DM) – This one hurt but he is a terrible passer for how much he makes.

CS – Dan and I were the only ones saying Thommy is gone. I will say, I do think the team probably brings him back. Moving on from Walter and him in the same offseason is probably too many bodies to replace. But if Mike Burns or Peter Vermes have a target lined up, I think they should let Thommy go. At over $1 million a season, he’s a bad fit. He doesn’t create for guys around him and the team has already said they are going to bring in a Designated Player #10. I think he probably sticks around for positional diversity. He can move to the wing and contribute there, but I’d say his best spot is wide left and SKC already have Stephen Afrifa and Daniel Salloi there.

MK – Earlier this year I said if you really wanted to make over the team this offseason, at least one of Thommy and Walter had to go. With their combined salary close to $2 million there needed to be some movement here. With my prior comment about Walter leaving, I’m okay picking up Thommy’s option, assuming it’s not a big increase. I’m also not sure that KC is going to find someone that brings similar play to Thommy for less than what KC is going to pay him.

JW – The most progressive player on Sporting KC and one of the most progressive players in the entire league.

Fan Vote

• Pick up option: 91.6%
• Decline option: 8.4%

William Agada

MK – You bring Agada back absolutely. Given that Vermes has talked about bringing in a 10 this offseason, that means pushing Alan Pulido back to forward. So, the team is unlikely to invest new money in that position, so you absolutely bring back your leading scorer in 2024.

JW – If he learns to be more clinical, he will be on the best strikers in the MLS.

CS – To Cody Bradley’s chagrin, Agada is the best striker on this team. Maybe that’s not a good sign, but it’s more of an indictment of Alan Pulido than it is for Agada. He led the team in scoring and if there is a #10 to get him the ball and potentially some better wing play, he may score even more. At half a million, you absolutely bring him back for what he contributes. If nothing, you could certainly easily sell him since he’s heading into his prime at 25-years-old.

Juan Cisneros (JC) – Keep him if the number is friendly.

Fan Vote

• Pick up option: 85.1%
• Decline option: 14.9%

Stephen Afrifa

JW – He was so exciting to watch! I had so much belief in him coming out of college and he proved me right. At minimum, he’s going to be a spark plug off the bench at winger. He could even push to Salloi to the bench.

CS – Minimum contract and he arguably outplayed Salloi, particularly offensively. He’s still fairly young and is dynamic and full of potential. He earned another year and more playing time.

MK – Had a coming out season in 2024, this is an easy yes.

Fan Vote

• Pick up option: 91.2%
• Decline option: 8.8%

Even if you don’t want to start him, I’m surprised even this many people want to move on.

Memo Rodriguez

JW – A massive surprise the way he played this season. He will be great depth and quality on the roster.

MK – Assuming that there isn’t a big increase in salary with picking up his option, this seems like a no-brainer for KC. A veteran midfielder on a low salary that did well starting or coming off the bench that was on the team’s supplemental roster in 2024.

CS – Currently the best set piece taker on the team. He played on an MLS minimum deal. Even if he gets a bit of a raise (and we don’t know if he does), he’s a steal for positional depth. He shouldn’t start much, but he’s a quality backup.

Fan Vote

• Pick up option: 71%
• Decline option: 29%

Logan Ndenbe

CS – I want to see Logan get a chance to bounce back from his injury. They invested a transfer fee in him, and the opportunity to sell may have passed with his untimely ACL tear, but he could be the starting left back for a decade if nothing else. You absolutely pick up his option.

JW – Will have one of the biggest sell-on values on the team. He has progressed a lot over the last few years.

MK – I’d pick up Ndenbe’s option. I think he showed he returned from his ACL tear well in 2024 and is the club’s best left back at this time. If there are other U22 options, the club wants to bring in his salary is such that moving him off that to bring in another player won’t hurt the team.

Fan Vote

• Pick up option: 92.6%
• Decline option: 7.4%

Robert Voloder

MK – Started to come around as the season went on and he started to get more consistent playing time with the first team. I’m not against bringing him back but given that KC already brought in Joaquin Fernandez on defense, if KC is going to more work on their center backs, moving on from Voloder would seem to be the best place to free up space.

CS – Voloder was definitely prone to mistakes at times. That will happen with a young player when they finally get on the field. I tend to blame a lot more of that on having inconsistent CB pairings with him. Dany Rosero wasn’t quite himself for much of the year then ended his year early with surgery. I also partially blame Voloder having to cover for Tim Leibold a lot. I think he made good progress and should be back. He’s probably third on the depth chart behind Fernandez and Rosero, but there is still promise there.

JW – I thought he progressed well this season. He deserves another season to solidify himself in defense. I think he has a lot of potential in him still.

Fan Vote

• Pick up option: 40.4%
• Decline option: 59.6%

Robert Castellanos

JW – Man, I really like Castellanos. I even think someone will easily pick him up. I just think that he isn’t quite the quality that SKC needs at center-back. He’s great in the air but not great on the ball.

CS – If he’s the fourth or fifth CB on the roster, I think you bring him back. He’s cheap and effective in the air. He’s not old, but he’s got some veteran experience too. But he shouldn’t be starting regularly.

MK – I’m not swayed either way on Castellanos at this point. If he’s back as a fourth CB on the roster, then I’m okay bringing him back. An experienced defender on the supplemental roster on a small salary has a place on most teams.

Fan Vote

• Pick up option: 36.3%
• Decline option: 63.7%

Zorhan Bassong

MK –  This is one of those where I’m thinking one thing but think the team will do another. Bassong did fine in 2024 and was on a small salary. He was on the senior roster and is currently probably third-string on the roster at his primary position (left back). He showed decently in the midfield, but I’m okay opening up a roster spot here.

CS – I thought Bassong was going to be cut when Ndenbe returned from injury. Instead, he emerged as a defensive midfielder in a double pivot. Assuming he’s still on a lower contract, teams need veteran depth. He’s only 25, but he’s been a pro for a while. If he plays as much as he had to this year, I think that’s a bad sign. But I’d bring him back for depth, especially if his tiny salary can be move to the supplemental roster. Playing multiple positions saves his job.

JW – I’m keeping Bassong, not as a left back, but as a midfielder. I think that’s his best position and the numbers say he was progressive on offense and stout in defense.

Fan Vote

• Pick up option: 72.9%
• Decline option: 27.1%

Ryan Schewe

MK – The fact that Jacob Molinaro and Jack Kortkamp were preferred to him with Sporting KC II after Pulskamp returned from the Olympics is concerning. But KC used a first round pick on him in last year’s SuperDraft, so I think he’ll be brought back.

CS – I talked to Ryan at the end of the year about not playing as much for SKC II and he said the staff wanted to rest him. He seemed eager to play, of course. Feilhaber and company have said they plan out how many games they are giving to their keepers and I’m not reading anything else into him not playing late in the year. The team needs a third keeper and Schewe showed potential.

JW – Keep him. Youth and depth at the keeper position.

SF – There are so many players on options, and I honestly think that the team will pick up those options on quite a few guys. I personally would pick up the option on Erik Thommy, Memo Rodriguez, Robert Castellanos, Zorhan Bassong, Logan Ndenbe, William Agada, Stephen Afrifa and Ryan Schewe. I know that seems like a lot and the fans are screaming for everyone to go and to start the team fresh, but that just isn’t possible. I would hope that most, if not all, of these guys would be brought back as a sub or occasional starting kind of player and not an all the time, every game kind of guy. I just think that these guys have shown that they can fill a needed spot and give the team enough quality minutes to keep them around (with the exception of Ryan Schewe, but he’s a young goalkeeper so why not?). We need quality players past just the starting 11 if we want to compete in a schedule that is jam packed with regular MLS play, Open Cup, Leagues Cup and this year CCC. Keeping guys around that know the team and the system and have shown they can play is necessary. 

Fan Vote

• Pick up option: 39.3%
• Decline option: 60.7%

Danny Flores

CS – With Flores and Rindov, I think it’s down to what the team sees in them. Have they progressed enough? If they still see potential, you need bottom of the roster guys. The same is really true of Schewe. I think the team probably moves on from Flores though, as he doesn’t even play a ton for SKC II.

JW – Not much to say about Flores. He never really played for the first team and his slot will likely be taken by an academy player graduating to the first team.

MK – On the supplemental roster so not a big move in terms of space, but it’s time to move on here.

Fan Vote

• Pick up option: 15%
• Decline option: 85%

Chris Rindov

MK – Was solid at the MLS Next Pro level but wasn’t a standout. I’m okay moving on here as well.

JW – See Danny Flores.

CS – The SKC II defense was a mess without him. But often, they were still not great with him. Again, does the team think he’s making enough progress? I think he’s probably gone with Fernandez and James already signed. If Castellanos is released or sold, then maybe Rindov has a chance.

Fan Vote

• Pick up option: 14.7%
• Decline option: 85.3%

Ozzie Cisneros

JC – Keep him. Maybe I’m biased.

MK – Him being loaned out to fellow MLS Next Pro team, Carolina Core this year, and playing only four games there feels like it tells me everything I need to know about his standing. I don’t expect him back.

CS – He’s been on the team since the beginning of 2020, and he’s never played an MLS minute. Sure, he has some non-league competition minutes, but he’s not ever even been a regular for Sporting KC II. I think the team probably moves on.

JW – I had higher expectations for Ozzie. I just think he couldn’t quite break into the first team. His level might be a solid USL team.

Fan Vote

• Pick up option: 14.7%
• Decline option: 85.3%

Everything In One Spot

And here is a handy table, with all the decisions (minus re-listening to the podcasts to pull those votes) in one spot.