TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
Sporting Kansas City have signed forward Khiry Shelton, the club announced Monday. Shelton departed Sporting last January for SC Paderborn, then in the 2. Bundesliga and now in the Bundesliga. He was out of contract.
Shelton, 26, made his Bundesliga debut in September against Bayern Munich, though that was one of his only two league appearances for the first team. He scored three goals in four appearances for the club's reserve side.
“Khiry is an experienced player who we are excited to bring back to the club,” manager and sporting director Peter Vermes said in a statement. “As the 2020 season approaches, we will continue to strengthen our roster with signings on all three lines of the field.”
Shelton spent the first three years of his MLS career with NYCFC before joining Sporting in 2018, where he enjoyed a productive campaign. He had two goals and five assists in 20 appearances (15 starts). All in all, Shelton has eight goals and 15 assists in 74 MLS appearances (38 starts.)
He joined Paderborn during the middle of their 2018/19 season and made two appearances as the club earned promotion to the Bundesliga.
Shelton adds to Vermes' attacking options, alongside the likes of Gerso, Johnny Russell and Daniel Salloi. The American can play across the front line, though he spent 2018 playing the majority of his minutes at center forward. Currently, the club have just Erik Hurtado as a natural central striker on the roster, while 16-year-old Homegrown forward Tyler Freeman can also play through the center.
SKC spent 2019 largely with Krisztian Nemeth as their striker, though the 30-year-old is out of contract.
