Sporting Kansas City signs Ghanaian winger Latif Blessing

The departures of veteran wingers Brad Davis and Justin Mapp might just be a blessing in disguise for Sporting Kansas City, as the club announced Monday the signing of Latif Blessing out of Liberty Professionals FC, penning the Ghanaian winger to a contract through 2019 with an option for 2020.

Blessing, 20, was named the 2016 Ghana Premier League Player of the Year due to his league-leading 17 goals, scored in just his first season on the senior team. He now joins a Sporting KC side looking for more options out wide.

"We have scouted Latif and been very impressed with what we've seen from him," Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes said in a club-issued statement. "The great thing we love about him is that he is young, but with a lot of upside as evidence by his goal scoring record with his previous club.

"With every player you acquire, you always feel they have potential, but we also think he has a great attitude, and we think he has the ability to reach his potential with our club."

The 5-foot-7 attacker is listed as a forward but is a natural winger and should fit well in Sporting KC's default 4-3-3 formation.

He is also a member of the Ghana national team, receiving his first call-up in December ahead of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, but did not make the final 23-man squad.