In player recruitment, it’s one thing to hear about a project and how you’d fit. It’s another to see it up close and personal.
That especially applies to Kévin Denkey, FC Cincinnati’s newest blockbuster signing who arrives from Belgian Pro League side Cercle Brugge for reportedly an MLS-record $16.2 million transfer fee.
Before putting pen to paper, the Togo international visited TQL Stadium to watch an Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs match between Cincy and New York City FC.
That trip offered all the assurances he needed.
“I met the sporting director here in Brugge; he came, we spoke,” Denkey, 23, told MLSsoccer.com from Belgium. “But it was different when I went there. I saw the environment, how their football is there.
“I saw a game against New York City and I could see it's a very good team. I saw myself playing there, what I can do, how I can fit in this team. I spoke with everybody. When you speak in front, it's different than on the phone or in video calls. This made a big impact.”
Trust and comfort
That personal connection resonated with Denkey, who won the 2023-24 Golden Boot in Belgium after scoring 27 times for Cercle Brugge. Only four players have scored more European league goals than him over the past two seasons, including Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) and Erling Haaland (Manchester City).
Naturally, a striker of that caliber generated serious interest from teams in top-five European leagues. French Ligue 1 side Lille were reportedly a suitor, as were others in the German Bundesliga.
Yet Denkey, who turns 24 later this month, chose Cincy. Why?
“Trust is everything for me,” Denkey said. “In soccer, a lot of promises can happen of, 'I will do that. I like you. I really want you.' But when you see the eyes, it's different. I had other opportunities, but why I chose Cincinnati is because of that.
“I felt the trust, the need and that they really want me. When I met them, eyes to eyes, it was more evident for me. I was convinced that I had to come here."
Driven to succeed
Cincy’s trajectory under head coach Pat Noonan and sporting director Chris Albright mattered, too. The Orange & Blue have gone from bottom-feeders to perennial Eastern Conference contenders, winning the 2023 MLS Supporters’ Shield and qualifying for the Concacaf Champions Cup in back-to-back seasons.
Cincy also needed a game-changing No. 9, searching for one since transferring Brandon Vazquez to LIGA MX’s Monterrey last winter and seeing Aaron Boupendza’s contract terminated this summer.
A player with Denkey’s track record – he has 78 goals in 205 club appearances, in addition to nine goals in 38 international matches – suggests he’ll provide solutions.
“I'm very, very ambitious,” said Denkey, whose Designated Player deal lasts through 2028 with a 2029 option. “And people who know me might be surprised by why I go here, but this club is very ambitious and they want to win. They want to do something special.
“Me, I'm here to help fulfill that. I want to go where everything is strong and you can come, do your job with support. I felt that when I spoke with the club.”
Team player
Denkey, who formally arrives this winter, will wear the No. 9. That shirt carries expectations, as does his reported transfer fee.
For his part, there's more focus on the collective than any individual pressures.
“In my road, I've seen a lot of talent in training,” Denkey said. “But in the end, I didn't believe too much in talent. I put everything in the work. My road was to always try to improve, to always work the hardest possible and to always help the team first. Then you will shine.
“One player is nothing without the team. So when you understand how the team is, the individual part and talent, your qualities, that comes out.”
That mindset? It’s perhaps influenced by Denkey’s passion for chess. He practices daily and trains with a chess master at least once a week.
“Chess is like football, like life,” Denkey said. “When you play, you have to understand a lot of pieces and how to move them. It's like on the pitch, how we're 11 players and all have different roles.
“Especially for me as a striker, you cannot succeed without the team. So I need to understand how everybody plays on the team. This helps me understand more how to defend, how to attack, how to protect yourself, your queen, your king. It challenges me.”
Denkey also challenges himself by reading religiously and learning new languages. He’s fluent in English, French and two dialects from his native Togo. At present, he’s learning Spanish and Italian.
Like Denkey’s other pursuits, it all connects back to soccer.
“I like to develop my intellect,” Denkey said. “Football is physical, yes, but also the mind. The person you can become, you need to think and challenge yourself. It's not just if you're a good player or not. Now, talking to people, it's important because I develop my intellect and I can speak with everyone in a good way, in a positive way, in a calm way.”
Title search
Interests aside, Denkey clarifies one thing: He’s joining Cincy to score goals. And if the club get their way, he’s contending for yet another Golden Boot.
In an ideal world, Denkey solves the biggest problem Cincy faced in 2024.
“We know Cincinnati play well, but sometimes they can struggle with the final shot,” Denkey said. “They brought me for this. But I will need all the players to achieve my goals. I'm not coming like a god. No. I'm here to help, to bring this club to another level, to help achieve success.
“I think we will do it because we have everything here to achieve great things.”
