Seattle Sounders acquire Dejan Joveljić from Sporting Kansas City
· Yahoo Sports
By Jonathan Sigal
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TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS:Trade
- SEA receive: Dejan Joveljić
- SKC receive: $6 million
Seattle Sounders FC have acquired striker Dejan Joveljić from Sporting Kansas City, the clubs announced Tuesday.
In exchange for the 27-year-old Serbian international, Sporting KC receive $6 million in a cash-for-player trade.
Joveljić will occupy a Designated Player roster spot for Seattle. Additionally, he has signed a new deal through the 2029-30 season with an option for 2030-31.
"We’re thrilled to add a player of Dejan’s caliber to our group," said Craig Waibel, Seattle's general manager & chief soccer officer. “He is a proven goalscorer in the prime of his career with a track record of producing at a high level and delivering in big moments.
"Dejan understands what it takes to win in MLS and not only gives us an immediate boost, but provides a vital building block for the future."
Proven scorer
Joveljić is in his sixth MLS campaign after joining the LA Galaxy in 2021 from German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt. He was traded to Sporting KC ahead of the 2025 season, shortly after helping LA win MLS Cup 2024.
During his MLS tenure, Joveljić has scored 71 goals and provided 23 assists in 178 matches across all competitions.
Internationally, Joveljić has scored two goals in nine appearances with Serbia.
"We would like to thank Dejan for his contributions to Sporting KC," said David Lee, the club's president of soccer operations & general manager.
"While it is always very challenging to lose a player of Dejan’s quality, we have to make decisions weighing up potential impact in the short-term alongside the long-term vision for consistent and sustainable success.
"Completing a cash-for-player trade allows us to convert a substantial amount of the fee into General Allocation Money, which is a critical component to increase our budget to spend across our entire roster."
Moving pieces
Joveljić is Sporting KC's second outgoing DP in the last week after they mutually agreed to terminate midfielder Manu García's contract.
Those moves sandwich Sporting KC spending a club-record fee (reportedly $18 million plus add-ons) to acquire Brazilian winger André Luiz from Greek Super League powerhouse Olympiacos. They have room for further key signings before the MLS Secondary Transfer Window closes on Sept. 2.
Injuries have hamstrung Seattle throughout the 2026 season, contributing to just 22 goals scored (second-fewest in MLS). Paul Rothrock is their leading scorer with five goals, and Albert Rusnák has a team-high 10 goal contributions (3g/7a).
To remain roster compliant, Rusnák has restructured his current agreement with Seattle. He had occupied a DP spot.
READ MORE: MLS Transfer Tracker