Sporting Kansas City sign German left-back Tim Leibold through 2025 MLS season
By Chris Smith
Sporting Kansas City have announced the transfer of German left-back Tim Leibold.
The 29-year-old - a five-time Germany international at U20 level - last played in the 2. Bundesliga with Hamburger SV and has signed a three-year deal through the 2025 MLS season, with SKC holding an option to extend through 2026. The move will take up one of the club's international roster slots.
For Leibold, this is his first stop outside of his native Germany, with the defender most recently playing 83 times for Hamburger across all competitions during a three-year spell, notching five goals and 22 assists while serving as team captain during the 2020/21 campaign.
Previously, Leibold has turned out for Nurnberg, Stuttgart, and Freiburg, playing 204 matches combined across the top three levels of German soccer.
Leibold - who will compete for minutes at left-back alongside Logan Ndenbe and Ben Sweat - is SKC's second international signing this winter alongside Serbian defensive midfielder Nemanja Radoja, who arrived from Spanish side Levante.
Sporting Kansas City are looking to return to the MLS Cup Playoffs after missing out last year and kick off the 2023 season away at the Portland Timbers on February 25.