KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Midfielder Felipe Gutierrez is returning to Sporting Kansas City on a free transfer for his second stint with the club.
Gutierrez, a 32-year-old native of Chile, scored 19 goals with five assists in 52 games in 2018-19 with Sporting KC. He missed the entire 2020 season with a knee injury.
After rehabbing the injury, Gutierrez returned to his native Chile to play for Universidad Católica, where he began his professional career from 2009-12.
He scored six goals in 37 appearances before going out on loan for 12 games during the 2022 season with the Colorado Rapids.
Gutierrez didn’t have any goals, but contributed two assists with the Rapids.
He signed for the 2023 season with Al Wasl FC in the United Arab Emirates, but wanted to return to the Western Hemisphere.
Now, Gutierrez rejoins Sporting KC through the end of the season.
SKC has a club option for 2024.
Gutierrez will provide quality depth in the midfield and take some pressure off central midfielder Remi Walter and defensive midfielder Nemanja Radoja.
To make room on the senior roster, Sporting KC transferred centerback Kortne Ford, who suffered a ruptured Achilles’ tendon during the preseason, to the season-ending injury list.
Before joining Sporting KC as a Designated Player in 2018, Gutierrez played for FC Twente in the Eredivisie, the top tier of soccer in the Netherlands, and for Real Betis in La Liga, Spain’s top league.
Gutierrez, who also spent time on loan with Internacional in Brazil’s top division, scored nine goals in 94 matches with FC Twente.
He has four goals in 35 appearances with the Chilean Men’s National Team.
Sporting KC (6-10-6) currently sits 10th in the MLS Western Conference standings, but the club has surged during the last two months after a 0-7-3 start.
But with a league-high 22 matches already played this season, Sporting KC has very little margin for error and needs some help to make the MLS Playoffs. The top nine teams in each conference make the postseason.
SKC's season continues Saturday at the Houston Dynamo.
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