TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
Sporting Kansas City have signed defender Robert Castellanos through the 2023 MLS season with options for 2024-25, the club announced Friday.
The 24-year-old center back, who most recently played for Finnish Premier League club Kuopion Palloseura, returns for his second stint in MLS, having appeared in one match with Nashville SC during the 2021 season. He made the most of that lone appearance, scoring the game-tying goal in a 1-1 draw at Toronto FC.
Castellanos has spent the bulk of his career in the USL Championship (second division), plying his trade with LA Galaxy II (2017), Rio Grande Valley FC (2018-20) and the Tampa Bay Rowdies (2022). Last year he played in 13 USL matches, helping the Rowdies reach the Eastern Conference Final.
A former academy member of Liga MX side Atlas with experience at the US U-20 level, Castellanos joins Sporting a week after the club suffered the loss of fellow center back Kortne Ford, who's likely out for all of 2023 after undergoing surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Head coach Peter Vermes also has veteran Andreu Fontàs, U22 Initiative signing Robert Voloder and 2023 MLS SuperDraft pick Chris Rindov to choose from in the backline.
Sporting kick off their 2023 campaign on Feb. 25 when visiting the Portland Timbers at Providence Park (10:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
READ MORE: MLS Transfer Tracker presented by Avant
