TRANSACTION TRACKER STATUS:Signing
Sporting Kansas City have signed 19-year-old midfielder Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal as the ninth Homegrown Player in club history, the club announced Friday.
Kuzain, the club's first player to complete the progression from the Sporting KC Academy to KC's USL side Swope Park Rangers and then the the first team, has signed an MLS contract through 2020, with options for 2021 and 2022.
“Kuzain is a player who has come through our Academy and developed at an incredible rate,” Sporting coach Peter Vermes said in a team statement. “He has an excellent understanding of his role in our model of play, and there is no doubt in our mind that he is deserving of a shot at the next level.”
Born to Malaysian parents in Carbondale, Illinois, Kuzain spent several years with St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club before joining the Sporting Kansas City Academy in August 2016. He signed an academy contract with the Rangers later that month, allowing him to play for both SPR and the academy while retaining his amateur status.
He continued to develop in 2017 with the Swope Park Rangers, debuting in March of last year and completing the campaign with 13 appearances during the club's Western Conference championship campaign.
“I’m extremely excited and thankful for this opportunity with Sporting KC,” Kuzain said in a team statement. “This is something that all young players want to experience. It’s great to be a part of everything at the club, knowing that I moved from the Academy to the Rangers and now get my chance with the first team. I’m not just representing myself, I’m representing all of the Academy coaches and staff.”
