Johnny Russell

HOW ACQUIRED: Transferred from Derby County on Jan. 31, 2018. Signed a three-year contract with an option for 2021.

After spending his professional career in the United Kingdom, Russell made an immediate impact in his debut MLS season with 10 goals and 10 assists and should again be a force in the attacking third for Sporting Kansas City in 2019.

• SportingKC.com: Russell's profile

INTERNATIONAL: Russell has earned four career caps for Scotland, including one appearance in UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifying. He received his first call to the senior squad in May 2012 for a friendly against the United States, but did not feature in the match. Russell landed his debut in a November 2014 friendly against England and featured in two more friendlies the following year as Scotland defeated Northern Ireland and Qatar, respectively. In October 2015, he contributed to Scotland’s 6-0 victory over Gibraltar in Group D of UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifying. As a youth international, Russell represented Scotland at the U-19 and U-21 levels. He netted twice in 10 matches for the U-19s between 2007-2010, then logged 11 appearances for the Scotland U-21s from 2010-2012, tallying one goal in 2013 UEFA U-21 European Championship Qualifying.

OUTSIDE MLS: Russell has scored 94 goals during a 12-year professional career in England and his native Scotland. The attacking player arrives at Sporting KC after five seasons with Derby County in the second-division English Football League Championship, where he struck 34 goals in 203 competitive appearances. Russell has played 23 matches throughout the 2017-18 EFL Championship campaign, bagging four goals while helping Derby occupy second place in the current league standings.