KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sporting KC announced several roster moves Thursday ahead of the 2025 season, including parting ways with team captain Johnny Russell and goalie Tim Melia.
Andreu Fontas and Remi Walter joined Russell, who has been team captain since 2021, and Melia as being out of contract and of the 2025 roster.
The club exercised contract options for Stephen Afrifa, William Agada, Zorhan Bassong, Logan Ndenbe, Memo Rodriguez, Ryan Schwew and Robert Voloder, allowing those players to return for the 2025 season.
Eleven more players remain under contract for the upcoming season, including Jake Davis, Juaquin Fernandez, Tim Leibold, Alan Pulido, John Pulskamp, Nemanja Radoja, Dany Rosero, Daniel Salloi, Khiry Shelton, Erik Thommy and Alenis Vargas.
Russell, 34, joined Sporting KC for the 2018 regular season after several seasons with Derby County. In seven seasons in Kansas City, the forward made 161 starts, during which he scored 60 goals and assisted on 29 others.
KANSAS CITY, KS - AUGUST 09: Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia (29) makes a critical save on the first penalty shot during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup semifinal between the San Jose Earthquakes and Sporting KC on August 9th, 2017 at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, KS. Sporting KC won in penalty kicks. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Melia, 38, has been a consistent presence in goal for the club since he joined Sporting KC in 2015. In his 11 seasons with the club, Melia made 260 starts and compiled nearly 23,300 minutes. He earned 69 clean sheets during his Sporting KC tenure, and averaged a 69.9 percent save rate.
His departure leaves the club entering the 2025 regular season with Pulskamp and Schewe in goal.
Pulskamp, 23, has been a part of the Sporting KC organization since 2019. He first made the MLS roster in 2021. Since then, he has made 28 starts, including six in the 2024 season, for Sporting KC.
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