Sporting Kansas City Signs Chile International Midfielder Felipe Gutierrez

By
Jasmin C
-
Felipe Gutierrez with Chile's national team. Photo by Ben Queenborough/BPI/REX/Shutterstock

Sporting Kansas City announced that they have signed Chile’s midfielder Felipe Gutierrez as a designated player. Gutierrez will sign a three-year deal with the team, with a team option for the fourth year. Gutierrez comes to Sporting Kansas City after agreeing to contract termination with Spain’s Real Betis.

“Felipe has a tremendous amount of experience playing in very difficult environments in top-level competitions,” – said Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes in a statement. “He also possesses the DNA that we look for in players that fit our style. He is excited about joining the club and we are ecstatic for him to be a part of our team.“

Felipe Gutierrez started his professional soccer career with Chile’s Universidad Católica in 2009, playing 65 games for the team and scoring on 19 occasions in three years. He then joined Netherland’s FC Twente in 2012, which paid $4 million for his services. Although he had issues with a knee injury during his time with the team, Gutierrez was one of Twente’s most important players, winning the Most Valuable Player of the Eredivisie Award in 2014. In 2016, he decided to join Real Betis, who was newly promoted side in the Spanish top division, La Liga. He never managed to find his ground with Betis and was eventually loaned to Brazil’s Internacional in 2017, so he could find playing time. Felipe Gutierrez was also a regular member of Chile’s national team, playing in 35 games since 2010 and scoring 4 goals.

With Gutierrez’s arrival and previous signing of Yohan Croizet, Sporting Kansas City now has two designated players too many on their roster. The team will have to choose two contracts between the ones from Graham Zusi, Roger Espinoza, and Gerso Fernandes to buy down using targeted allocation money before the 2018 MLS season starts.

Jasmin C
Jasmin can write about almost everything expect about himself. All you need to know is that he likes music, Nutella stuffed pancakes and sleeping till noon on Sundays.