Sporting Kansas City's most recent acquisition, William Agada, was formally announced on Thursday as the team's newest forward.
Born in Bauchi, Nigeria, Agada joins Sporting after a four-year stint with Israeli Premier League side Hapoel Jerusalem and a one-year loan spell with Hapoel Haifa. The 22-year-old scored 37 goals in his time in Israel and will be officially added to Sporting's roster when Major League Soccer's transfer window opens up on July 7.
"From where I come from, it is a dream to play for a huge club like this," said Agada. "I want to come in, succeed and help the team as well."
Agada was just 18 years old when he began his professional career in Israel. While moving to Israel from Nigeria seemed to be a daunting challenge at first, Agada's father helped him through the early stages.
"I was really young at that time," Agada said. "I didn't see anybody from my family and had nobody to call me so I called my dad with my manager's phone. He told me to relax and that everything will be top for me, and that I need to be strong and focused and everything will be good. Here I am now, and I am so excited to be here."
Once he started playing, Agada proved his father correct, firing home eight goals in his first professional season for Hapoel Jerusalem. His confidence only grew, and his play improved the following year when he netted a team-high 15 goals in 36 appearances.
"I am a happy person," Agada remarked when asked about his energy. "I am so excited for this move. It's really exciting."
His excitement and positive energy ate noticeable right away. He is ready to come to Kansas City, make a positive impact and help the team in any way he can. When asked about how he would describe himself as a player, he uttered one word: smart. He grew up watching players like Didier Drogba and tries to emulate that level of ability and power when he is on the pitch.
Joining Sporting from the Israeli Premier League, Agada is familiar with Sporting KC midfielder and Israeli Men's National Team member Gadi Kinda. "I had the opportunity to watch him play for Beitar Jerusalem on TV, " said Agada. "He's a nice, smart guy. I hope to join him on this team and do some good work together."
With a contract signed through 2023 and options for 2024 and 2025, Agada is ready to bring his talents to Kansas City. Fans can follow him on Instagram at @william_agada.
