Sporting Kansas City has acquired New Zealand international center back Winston Reid on loan from English Premier League side West Ham United.
Reid, a 31-year-old World Cup veteran, will occupy an international spot on Sporting’s roster pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P-1 Visa.
Reid arrives in Kansas City after logging over 300 club appearances in Denmark and England, including 166 Premier League matches with West Ham. The 6-foot-3 center back has also earned 25 caps for the New Zealand Men’s National Team, including three starts at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
A native of Auckland, New Zealand, Reid moved to Denmark at age 10 and began his professional career with Danish outfit FC Midtjylland in 2005. He made his Midtjylland debut at age 17 and became a regular starter by the 2008-2009 season. The center back played 92 matches for Midtjylland in all competitions before his transfer to West Ham in August 2010.
Reid made his first of 222 competitive appearances for the Hammers on Aug. 14, 2010, and opened his West Ham scoring account in an FA Cup win over Burnley the following February. The London club dropped to the second-division Championship for the 2011-2012 season, but Reid led an emphatic bounce-back with three goals in 30 league starts as West Ham gained Premier League promotion with a victory over Blackpool in the Football League Championship Playoff Final at world-renowned Wembley Stadium.
The 2016-2017 season saw Reid start 30 more Premier League matches and score goals in wins over Sunderland and Swansea City. Over the last three seasons, he has recorded 19 starts for West Ham in all competitions.
Holding dual citizenship in his native New Zealand as well as Denmark, Reid represented Denmark at the U-19, U-20 and U-21 levels between 2007-2010. In early 2010, however, he committed his senior international career to New Zealand.
Reid was an ever-present fixture in central defense as New Zealand finished the World Cup group stage unbeaten with three draws — including a 1-1 stalemate against defending world champion Italy — despite falling short of the knockout rounds.
He also scored his lone New Zealand goal to date at the tournament, heading home a stunning stoppage-time equalizer in a 1-1 tie versus Slovakia. He most recently featured for New Zealand in a friendly against Ireland last November.
- Information from Sporting KC