Sporting Kansas City sign Montenegro striker Nikola Vujnovic on loan

Sporting Kansas City have signed Montenegro national team striker Nikola Vujnovic on loan from Serbian side FK Vozdovac with a purchase option after the 2022 MLS season. The news comes after a previous team roster change, waiving homegrown players Grayson Barber and Tyler Freeman. 

Vujnovic joins Sporting KC after a stellar season with Vozdovac, where he managed 10 goals and an assist during the 2021-22 campaign in Serbia's top division. He was also a part of Villarreal previously, though failed to make any appearance for the Spanish La Liga side’s first team.

Internationally, Vujnovic has earned five caps with Montenegro and managed one goal. 

This is Sporting Kansas City’s seventh addition during the offseason, following European signings Logan Ndenbe, Robert Voloder and Marinos Tzionis. 

Head coach Peter Vermes must build his roster after the team was plagued with injuries in 2021, and deal with the long term effects of Alan Pulido’s knee surgery. While the Mexican forward continues to occupy a Designated Player spot on the roster, he will be out for the majority, if not all, of the 2022 MLS campaign. 

His place on the roster complicated things for the team as they are unable to make another big signing due to the league’s three DP rule. 

The team kicks off the 2022 season on February 27 when visiting Atlanta United.