Sporting Kansas City has acquired 26-year-old midfielder Lasse Berg Johnsen in a transfer from Swedish club Malmö FF, the club announced today. Berg Johnsen has signed a two-and-a-half-year MLS contract through the 2027-2028 season with a club option for the 2028-2029 season. Berg Johnsen will occupy an international spot on Sporting’s roster, pending receipt of his P1 visa and International Transfer Certificate.
Berg Johnsen has made 258 career appearances – tallying 18 goals and 21 assists – representing clubs across Scandinavia in his native Norway, Denmark and most recently in Sweden with Malmö.
“We are delighted to add Lasse to the team,” President of Soccer Operations & General Manager David Lee said. “Lasse is a highly experienced and accomplished player in both the domestic and international game and he arrives in Kansas City as he enters the prime of his career. He has excellent quality in possession and fits the profile of midfielder that we wanted to add to the squad. Lasse has shown throughout his career that he is a winner, while his personality and character will elevate our locker room.”
After starting his career with Viking FK in Norway’s top division, Berg Johnsen was loaned to second-tier side Tromsdalen in 2019 and later moved to Raufoss in 2020, racking up 56 professional appearances during his time in Norway by the age of 21.
Berg Johnsen took his career to new heights in 2021 with his first move abroad to Randers FC in Denmark’s top division. He scored four goals and added three assists in 98 total appearances for Randers from 2021-2023, helping the team win the 2021 Danish Cup while representing the club in UEFA Europa League qualifying and the UEFA Conference League.
In the summer of 2023, Berg Johnsen was transferred to Swedish giants Malmö FF where he made an instant impact, playing a key role in the second half of the campaign as Malmö won the Allsvenskan title with a 1-0 win over Elfsborg on the final day of the season.
Berg Johnsen continued his rise with a stellar 2024 season for Malmö, recording three goals and eight assists while appearing in 34 of 37 games across all competitions during a trophy-laden season. Berg Johnsen helped guide the club to the Swedish league and cup double in 2024 – cruising to a second consecutive league title with a 19-3-8 record while also defeating Djurgården on penalty kicks in the Swedish Cup final, with Berg Johnsen scoring the decisive penalty.
Berg Johnsen served as captain on several occasions in 2025 while tallying a career-high seven goals and four assists in 43 competitive matches – including appearances in UEFA Champions League qualifying and the UEFA Europa League. Berg Johnsen and Malmö were denied a second successive Swedish Cup victory with defeat on penalty kicks in the final against BK Häcken last spring.
Internationally, Berg Johnsen has earned three caps for the Norway National Team. He made his senior debut in November of 2024 during a UEFA Nations League victory over Slovenia before appearing in a pair of FIFA World Cup Qualifying wins over Israel and Estonia in 2025.
Sporting is preparing to kick off the 2026 MLS season with a trip to take on the San Jose Earthquakes at PayPal Park this Saturday, Feb. 21 at 9:30 p.m. CT before returning to KC for the club’s home opener against the Columbus Crew at Sporting Park on Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. CT.
With the addition of Berg Johnsen, Sporting now has 21 players under contract for the 2026 season. For a full list of the club’s offseason roster moves, visit sportingkc.com/transactions.
- Goalkeepers (4): Stefan Cleveland, Jack Kortkamp, John Pulskamp, Ryan Schewe
- Defenders (6): Zorhan Bassong, Ian James, Wyatt Meyer, Jansen Miller, Jayden Reid, Justin Reynolds
- Midfielders (6): Kwaku Agyabeng, Jacob Bartlett, Lasse Berg Johnsen, Jake Davis, Manu Garcia, Cielo Tschantret
- Forwards (5): Stephen Afrifa, Calvin Harris, Dejan Joveljic, Daniel Salloi, Shapi Suleymanov
Transaction: Sporting Kansas City (MLS) acquires midfielder Lasse Berg Johnsen in transfer from Malmö FF (Sweden).
VITALS
Lasse Berg Johnsen (LAH-seh)
Number: 4
Position: Midfielder
Birthdate: 8/18/1999 (26 years old)
Height: 5-10
Weight: 175 lbs.
Hometown: Stavanger, Norway
Birthplace: Stavanger, Norway
Citizenship: Norway
Instagram: @lasse.bjohnsen
