Sporting KC signs experienced defensive player from Spain to bolster back line

Sporting Kansas City has added some defensive reinforcement during the summer transfer window.

The club on Tuesday announced the signing of Joaquin Fernandez — a 28-year-old center-back from Spain — on a free transfer agreement.

Joaquin, who will occupy an international slot on Sporting KC’s Major League Soccer roster, is signed through the 2025 season. He’ll be introduced to the media Wednesday and figures to be available for Sporting KC’s next match: Aug. 24 against Orlando City at Children’s Mercy Park.

Joaquin has spent most of his playing career in his home country. He made a few appearances with the Spanish youth national team while coming up through the Almería academy. He made his first-team debut in 2015 and then made a total of 78 appearances with Almería before moving to Real Valladolid in 2018.

Joaquin was a mainstay as Valladolid contended with promotion and relegation in La Liga and La Liga 2. Valladolid stayed in the top flight for three years before bouncing down to La Liga 2 in 2021 ... then went back up in 2022. Fernandez made 120 appearances for Valladolid, 85 in La Liga.

The Spaniard spent the last season under contract with Turkish giant Trabzonspor but missed most of the early part of the season while recovering from a knee injury. He made 13 total appearances with Trabzonspor until his contract was terminated (by mutual agreement) last month.

Sporting KC will add Fernandez to a back line that has been woeful for much of the 2024 season. Sporting has conceded 52 goals in 26 MLS games, the second-worst mark in the league.

As a left-footed center-back, Joaquin will logically fit well alongside left-sided KC center-backs Robert Voloder and Andreu Fontás.

Statistics from Fernandez’s final La Liga campaign via FB Reference (statistics from Turkish League unavailable) show that, while he doesn’t fit the “passing left-footed center-back” mold of Fontás, he’s adept at aerial challenges and defense — a weakness of the Sporting KC back line in recent seasons.

Fernandez, who stands 6-foot-3, is Sporting KC’s first acquisition since Mike Burns was hires as sporting director. Sporting KC had previously increased its roster flexibility by transferring U-22 initiative winger Marinos Tzionis to FK Cukaricki in Serbia.

Whether Sporting KC fills that particular spot remains to be seen. The secondary transfer window, which opened July 18, closes Wednesday night.

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