Sporting Kansas City made a pair of additions for the stretch run on Friday, signing forward Kharlton Belmar and midfielder Kevin Oliveira from their USL club, Swope Park Rangers.
Belmar signed a contract for 2017 with club options for 2018, 2019 and 2020, while Oliveira signed a deal for this year with options for the next two seasons.
Belmar, 24, has scored 10 times for Swope Park Rangers in 2017, a club record. Taken 34th overall in the 2015 SuperDraft by the Portland Timbers, the Virginia Commonwealth University product spent the first two years of his professional career in USL with Timbers 2.
Oliveira joined Swope Park Rangers ahead of their inaugural season in 2016. He totaled six goals and nine assists in 28 career USL appearances for the team, including three goals and a team-high five assists this year. The 21-year-old is a native of Cape Verde and will occupy an international spot on SKC’s roster.
“Kharlton and Kevin are two players who we believe can make the next step in the transition from the Swope Park Rangers to Sporting KC," SKC manager Peter Vermes said in a statement released by the club. "Belmar can play on the wing or centrally in attack, and Oliveira can play in the center of the midfield or out wide. Both players will be important additions during the stretch run of the season.
“Signing players from within says a lot about our program. We trust the job the Swope Park Rangers are doing at the USL level, and we trust that these players will be ready to make a contribution when called upon.”
Sporting KC are currently in fourth-place in the Western Conference, five points above the playoff line. They’ll host the New England Revolution on Saturday night (8:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE).
