KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Sporting Kansas City are trying to keep the league's stingiest backline intact, but out-of-contract right back Chance Myers remains a question mark as the club begins training for a defense of their MLS Cup title.
“We've been trying to negotiate a contract since the end of the season, and we still don't have a contract,” manager and technical director Peter Vermes told MLSsoccer.com on Wednesday.
Myers, who was called up for his first January camp with the US national team this month, was the No. 1 overall MLS SuperDraft pick out of UCLA in 2008. The 26-year-old took over as Vermes' first choice in 2011 and scored his first two league goals this past season as Sporting won their first MLS Cup since 2000.
If he doesn't sign a new deal with Sporting, Vermes said the club won't necessarily look elsewhere for a replacement. Both Mechack Jerome and Homegrown player Kevin Ellis saw action last year at right back.
“We have players. That's something that's been proven with our team over the past years,” Vermes said. “When a player moves on, or a player decides not to re-sign, we fit the next player in and develop them. That's the whole reason we have depth as a team.”
- Get the latest SKC news at SportingKansasCity.com
Vermes also said he had not set a deadline for the club to either re-sign Myers or move on.
“It's in their court,” he said. “We'll see where it goes. We're going to have to move forward with the guys we have, while keeping our options open.”
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
