Sporting Kansas City has announced two new player acquisitions.
Khiry Shelton, a forward, was acquired in a trade with New York City FC last week, and Yohan Croizet was acquired last week in a transfer from a Belgian team.
According to news releases from Sporting KC, defender Saad Abdul-Salaam was traded to New York City FC.
Shelton, 24, began his professional career at New York City FC, where he recorded six goals and 10 assists over three seasons. The 6-foot-3 attacker enjoyed a strong sophomore campaign in 2016, tallying four goals and finishing second on the team with nine assists in 22 MLS matches.
Capable of playing as a central forward or winger, Shelton helped New York City FC reach the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2016 and 2017 with consecutive second-place finishes in the Eastern Conference. He assisted three game-winning goals during his time with the Blues and converted half of his 12 career shots on target into goals.
Born in Fort Carson, Colorado, and raised in Leander, Texas, Shelton amassed 19 goals and 15 assists during a four-year college career at Oregon State University.
As a senior in 2014, Shelton was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year and a MAC Hermann Finalist after notching 10 goals and 12 assists. While playing collegiately, Shelton also featured for the Austin Aztex (2012-13) and Lane United (2014) in the Premier Development League. New York City FC took Shelton with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft.
Abdul-Salaam, 26, has started 54 of 78 competitive appearances for Sporting Kansas City since joining MLS in 2015 out of the University of Akron. The right back recorded one goal and nine assists for the club, opening his scoring account in a 3-0 win over Minnesota United FC this spring.
Croizet, 25, a French midfielder, was with Belgian team KV Mechelen. He has signed as a designated player on a contract through 2020 with an option for 2021. He will occupy an international spot on Sporting KC’s roster pending receipt of his international transfer certificate and P1 visa.
A native of Sarrebourg, France, Croizet has scored 31 goals in more than 200 professional appearances across Europe. He joins Sporting KC after spending each of the last three seasons in the top-flight Belgian First Division A, where he has tallied 12 goals and 11 assists since 2015.
In his first season with KV Mechelen in 2016-17, Croizet played 37 matches as the Yellow Reds enjoyed their best domestic campaign since 2010. His three goals and four assists helped KV Mechelen to a seventh-place finish and 14 league wins, their most in the Belgian first division since 1993. Croizet has added three assists in 15 appearances during the 2017-2018 season.
– Information from Sporting KC