TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
A week after Alan Pulido told reporters he’d likely be moving to Major League Soccer this winter, Sporting Kansas City have landed the Mexican striker as a Designated Player, the club announcing the blockbuster signing for a club-record transfer fee on Tuesday night.
TUDN initially reported on Monday evening that the Chivas Guadalajara talisman, who was previously linked with the San Jose Earthquakes, could be heading to Peter Vermes’ side, which has long sought a solution at the No. 9 position. Fox Sports Mexico claimed earlier on Tuesday SKC's offer was in the $9.5 million range.
Pulido, who finished the recently-concluded 2019 Apertura campaign as the joint top scorer in the tournament (12 goals in 18 games), had a year and a half left on his contract, but Chivas announced last Monday they would allow him to seek a move elsewhere, opening the door to cash in on his recent success.
“We are very excited to add Alan Pulido to our roster ahead of the new season,” Sporting Kansas City manager and sporting director Peter Vermes said in a team statement. “He is a winner, has a terrific work rate and embodies all of the attributes we value at our club. We also want to thank Chivas for being an incredibly professional partner and appreciate the relationship we have created with them. Alan is ready for this new challenge and looks forward to getting started with us on the field in January.”
The 28-year-old forward began his pro career in 2010 with Tigres UANL, with his strong play over in 105 league matches over four years with the Liga MX side earning him a move to Greece. His time there, first with Levadiakos and then with giants Olympiacos, was short-lived, though he notched six goals in a title-winning campaign before moving back to Mexico with Chivas in August 2016.
At the international level, Pulido has scored five goals in 13 caps for Mexico's senior national team and was part of the El Tri squad at the 2011 Copa América and 2014 World Cup. In total, he has scored over 100 combined goals for club and country and won five domestic championships in Mexico as well as the 2018 Concacaf Champions League title.
