Sporting KC smashes club record to sign El Tri striker Pulido

Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes doesn’t suffer substandard seasons, and has got himself a major No. 9.

Alan Pulido, the reigning top scorer in Liga MX, is KC’s newest star, the Mexican striker now boasting the title of club record transfer for an MLS side (One report says it’s near $10 million).

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Pulido comes from Chivas Guadalajara, and will turn 29 in early March. He has five goals in 13 caps for El Tri, and is coming off a career-high 12 goals in 18 matches during the Apertura season.

He has 71 career club goals, most coming in Liga MX. He spent two seasons with Olympiacos in Greece, scoring six times with three assists in 17 appearances.

“We are very excited to add Alan Pulido to our roster ahead of the new season,” Sporting Kansas City Manager and Sporting Director Peter Vermes said. “He is a winner, has a terrific work rate and embodies all of the attributes we value at our club. We also want to thank Chivas for being an incredibly professional partner and appreciate the relationship we have created with them. Alan is ready for this new challenge and looks forward to getting started with us on the field in January.”

Sporting finished last 10 points out of a playoff spot, unfamiliar territory for them in a league which makes it pretty easy to make the postseason. This should help, though it’s worth noting that his big season was by far his most productive.

This is, pretty clearly, “the big one” for #SportingKC, a team that has failed plenty of times when swinging big in the past. Transfer fee reportedly around $9.5 million ($5.5 million more than the franchise has previously paid COMBINED in its history).

— Andy (@AndyEdMLS) December 10, 2019

.@alanpulido: Coming soon to el infierno azul. 🔷😈 pic.twitter.com/U1HqLBDivS

— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) December 10, 2019

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