Sporting Kansas City brings back Igor Juliao on loan from Fluminense

Sporting Kansas City announced Friday the club has acquired Brazilian defender Igor Juliao on a year-long loan from Fluminense, bringing back a player the club had loaned previously in 2014.

Juliao, 22, had made 26 total appearances for Sporting KC in the 2014 season, recording three assists.

"Igor is a player we are very familiar with and eager to welcome back," Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes said in a club-issued statement. "He showed a lot of promise with us in 2014, and we look forward to integrating him back to our team when he joins us next month for preseason."

He returns to the team after spending the last three seasons on various loans across Brazil: Juliao first split the 2015 campaign between Serie B outfits ABC Futebol Clube and Macae then made 12 appearances during the first half of 2016 with Ferroviaria in the Campeonato Paulista.

Juliao says he is "very happy" to return to Sporting KC, too.

"I loved my time playing in this city in front of the great fans," Juliao said. "I know Sporting KC has a strong team that can compete for championships, and I'm excited to be a part of it."