Is this KC Current player’s time in Kansas City over? IG post indicates as much

The Kansas City Current posted its usual match-day hype graphic Thursday morning, highlighting a player who — nine times out of 10 — would appear in the starting lineup.

A couple of hours later, that player posted on Instagram that Thursday night’s soccer match would be her last with the Current.

“I spent 2 years in Kansas City and what an experience,” KC midfielder Claire Lavogez’s post began. “I had the courage to come here not speaking English at all, and I cried so much with sadness at being far from my loved ones and my friends. Today I leave this country and this club with a heavy heart…and speaking English of course.”

The Current declined The Star’s request for comment. However, after KC defeated Mexican side Tigres UNAL on Thursday night — Kansas City’s final group-stage match in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup tournament — manager Vlatko Andonovski was asked about her departure.

“It’s an unfortunate moment, but also a fortunate moment,” Andonovski said. “Obviously, it’s unfortunate because Claire’s an amazing player and is someone that we enjoy having on the team. True professional, true competitor. But at the same time, she was presented with an opportunity, and she made a decision that she believes is the best for her career.

“We just want to support it. We don’t want to stay in her way. Obviously, like I said, we enjoy having her on the team. And as good as she is, the fact that she wasn’t able to get a lot of minutes just speaks about the roster, and the players that we have on the team. ... Like I said, it’s an unfortunate moment for us to lose someone like Claire, but also fortunate because she’s making a decision that is best for her career, and we’re here for her.”

A native of France, Lavogez arrived in Kansas City during the 2022 summer transfer window. Her midfield play helped catapult the Current to the postseason amid a 13-match unbeaten streak.

But she tore knee ligaments (ACL) during KC’s first-round playoff matchup against the Houston Dash. She returned to the field late last season after undergoing rehab.

In her post, Lavogez thanked the Current for helping her return from her ACL injury.

“I had a blast on the pitch and played the best football I could, only to then suffer the worst injury that exists,” she said in the post. “It wasn’t easy but I did everything to get back up and get back to my best. I thank the club for helping me overcome this injury.

Lavogez scored twice in the Current’s 3-1 road win against Angel City FC this season. She played primarily as a striker, or “false 9,” during teammate Bia Zaneratto’s various absences.

Lavogez made 28 total appearances for the Current, scoring four goals and providing an assist. She played the final 19 minutes (plus three minutes of stoppage time) on Thursday night.

She thanked the crowd after the match, saying: “I could cry right now. I was so happy to play here. This club is amazing, thank you so much.”

Report: Current adding goalkeeper

KC is signing German goalkeeper Almuth Schult, according to a report from ESPN Wednesday afternoon.

Schult, 33, was the starting goalkeeper for Germany’s gold-medal run in the 2016 Olympics and 2019 World Cup.

Adding Schult would bring the Current’s stable of goalkeepers to four: AD Franch, Hope Hisey and Jordan Silkowitz and, if this deal is finalized, Schult.

Schult brings experience, which could prove valuable as neither Silkowitz nor Hisey have played in a match for the Current yet.

Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.