Sporting Kansas City acquires forwards Iwasa, Volesky
Sporting Kansas City bolstered its attacking ranks with a pair of acquisitions early this week, announcing a trade with the Portland Timbers for Christian Volesky on Monday, then the signing of Cameron Iwasa to a one-year contract with three additional option years out of USL outfit Sacramento Republic on Tuesday.
Volesky, 24, spent the last two seasons with the Rochester Rhinos in the USL after being drafted by the Timbers in 2015, and joins Sporting KC in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft (No. 80 overall).
"Christian is a player who fits many of the characteristics we are looking for in our team," Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes said in a statement. "He is a young, hungry player who we've followed closely over the past two years and who we feel can give us depth in a position of need."
Iwasa, 23, joins the club after scoring 12 goals and recording three assists last season, setting a regular-season club record for Sacramento over 30 matches.
"(Iwasa) is a player we saw at the MLS Combine in 2015 and who we followed closely during his time at Sacramento," club director of player personnel Brian Bliss said in a statement. "We think that he is a player with a high upside who can contribute at multiple positions in the attack."
It is not yet known how these two players figure into Sporting Kansas City's plans for the 2017 season. The club recently acquired Designated Player winger Gerso Fernandes out of Belenenses and Ghana attacker Latif Blessing to compliment Roger Espinoza, Graham Zusi, and Dom Dwyer up top.
The young duo could also play at the club's USL affiliate, Swope Park Rangers.