Sporting Kansas City had two players in their sights on Major League Soccer’s roster deadline, but the club was only able to nail down one of the two.
Sporting announced Thursday that they had come to terms with Kenyan defender Lawrence Olum, but Manager Peter Vermes said roster limitations prevented Nick Cardenas from joining the team after a training stint with the club. Olum joins Kansas City from Orlando City SC, where he made 21 appearances in the club’s inaugural season. He will be added to the team’s roster pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and won’t require an international roster spot.
“He’s a seasoned guy,” Vermes said. “Sometimes guys like him that go through the lower divisions get seasoned pretty quickly. I think he’s got some qualities that translate to MLS very well. At the same time, he’s played more than enough professional games that it’s not like it’s going to take an amazing amount of time to get him caught up to the game.”
Vermes said Olum could play comfortably in central defense or defensive midfield and at right back in a pinch. The 27-year-old landed with Orlando City SC in 2011 after previous stints in the lower divisions with the Portland Timbers, Minnesota Thunder and Austin Aztex following four years at Missouri Baptist University.
“He’s a good passer of the ball,” Vermes said. “I think he’s a good ball winner and reads the game. He’s also very good in the air and athletic. All those things translate well to our game and the league.”
