Sporting KC signs German center-back. Here’s the latest on the club’s offseason moves

Daniel Sperry
·2 min read
Sporting KC on Wednesday announced the signing of Robert Voloder, a 20-year-old German center-back from Slovenian powerhouse NK Maribor.

Sporting KC on Wednesday announced the signing of Robert Voloder, a 20-year-old German center-back from Slovenian powerhouse NK Maribor.

Voloder has played every minute of Maribor’s 2021-22 season, helping post 10 clean sheets in 20 matches. He signed an MLS contract with Sporting through 2024 with an option for 2025 and will occupy an international roster spot, pending receipt of his visa and other paperwork.

A left-footed center-back who can pass out of the back — a skill integral to Sporting KC’s playing style — he had scored twice for Maribor this season.

Before joining Maribor, Voloder was developed through the FC Cologne academy in Germany, which helps feed the Bundesliga club. Cologne has a history of producing players of significant impact, such as Lukas Podolski and, more recently, Florian Wirtz.

Voloder made three Bundesliga appearances at the end of the 2019-20 season and played regularly with FC Cologne II the following season. He joined Maribor on loan to start the 2021 season, a move made permanent by Maribor before his transfer to Sporting KC. The move allows Maribor to be the main benefactor of the transfer fee Sporting paid to acquire him.

On the youth international scene, Voloder initially represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the U-17 through U-19 levels. He made his one-time national team switch to Germany in 2019 and recently captained the German U-20 national team during an Under-20 Elite League match against Norway.

Voloder is the fifth signing Sporting KC’s made to its backline this offseason, joining re-signed veteran Graham Zusi and new additions Ben Sweat, Logan Ndenbe and Kortne Ford.

Like Ndenbe, Voloder qualifies for the U-22 initiative that MLS introduced before last season. While it is anticipated that both will take up U-22 initiative slots, Sporting KC is waiting until the roster compliance date (Feb 26) to finalize those designations, thus allowing for more roster-building activity.

Voloder would seem to be Sporting’s last defensive signing. But needs remain in the attacking positions: It’s clear Sporting must add a striker after Alan Pulido recently underwent a knee-surgery procedure that will keep him out all season. The club is also looking at options for adding depth along the wing.

Multiple outlets have linked Sporting to Marinos Tzonis, a 20-year-old winger from Cyprus who plays for the Cypriot club Omonia. A source confirmed to The Star that Sporting is interested in Tzonis but is still in the process of negotiations.

Sporting kicks off its preseason slate of matches Friday with a friendly against the current U.S. Men’s National Team roster in Arizona. The KC club is scheduled to play five more scrimmages against MLS and USL Championship opposition before kicking off its 2022 season at Atlanta United FC on Feb. 27.

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