KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Sporting Kansas City remain in talks with Aurelien Collin and his agent, hoping their big French center back will stay in the city where he has put down roots in both soccer and his burgeoning men's fashion design business.
Even so, they still have to consider the possibility that the three-time MLS All-Star and 2013 MLS Cup MVP will move on after four seasons at Sporting Park.
“We've offered I don't know how many different proposals, to no success,” manager and technical director Peter Vermes told reporters on Tuesday. “In the end, he could end up becoming a cap casualty.”
Still, Vermes said, the two-way communication goes on.
“I'm not saying it's always good,” Vermes said. “but there's definitely banter back and forth.”
Sporting also have made offers to three other out-of-contract players – Homegrown defender Kevin Ellis and wingers Soony Saad and Jacob Peterson – and Vermes said he is hopeful of not only re-upping all four, but also of getting it done before the Expansion Draft on Dec. 10.
“I think there's a good possibility,” he said. “I do.”
There are no new developments in Roger Espinoza's situation, Vermes said, with the veteran Honduran midfielder hoping to return to Kansas City – where he spent his first five professional seasons – but still under contract to English side Wigan Athletic through the 2014-15 Championship season.
“On our part, and on his part, we're still actively seeking an opportunity,” Vermes said. “The worst-case scenario would be that he comes back here in June. We're trying, both sides, to get something done.”
And while he saw his minutes fall off dramatically in 2014 after leading Kansas City in scoring the year before – collateral damage in Dom Dwyer's record-breaking scoring season – Argentine center forward Claudio Bieler remains on Sporting's roster for now.
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Vermes would not say whether he would continue to be one of the club's Designated Players, though, and said Tuesday that he hopes to be active during the half-day MLS trading window on Dec. 8.
“As of right now, I do” expect him to be on the Opening Day roster, Vermes said. “But I could say that about every guy on the team, and I can tell you that's not going to be the case at the start of the season. There's going to be a lot of different situations that are going to arise.”
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
