Sporting Kansas City has signed 24-year-old Honduran international defender Ever Alvarado, the club announced.
Alvarado will occupy an international roster spot when the Secondary Transfer Window opens on July 4, pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P-1 Visa.
“Ever is a player we have been looking at for a while. He has a very good understanding of our region of the world being that he has played his entire career in CONCACAF,” Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes said. “Players from Honduras have always adapted well to MLS and we think he will not only help us in League play, but with other competitions we have coming up.”
“I am very excited to be given the opportunity to play for Sporting KC,” Alvarado said. “It is a great club with a great history. I’m going to work hard and do everything I can to help the team be successful.”
Alvarado has earned six caps for the Honduras Men’s National Team since debuting in October 2015. He has played three matches for his country this year and opened his international scoring account in Honduras’ 3-1 victory over Nicaragua on Jan. 28.
A native of El Negrito, Honduras, Alvarado joins Sporting Kansas City from C.D. Olimpia, the most successful club in his native country. The defender lifted his third career Liga Nacional title last month as Olimpia were crowned 2016 Clausura champions. He started 65 of 67 league appearances for Olimpia from 2014-2016, scoring six goals and winning the 2015 Clausura title. He also made six appearances in the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League, competing in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 group stage.
Alvarado began his professional career with his hometown club Atletico Junior in 2007 at age 15. He moved to the C.D. Olimpia U-19s in 2009 before joining Honduran side Real Espana a year later. During a four-year stint with Real Espana, Alvarado won the 2013 Apertura title for his first Liga Nacional championship and made his Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League debut.
As a youth, Alvarado has represented Honduras at the U-17, U-20, U-21 and U-23 levels. He played three games at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria and later competed at the 2011 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. The left back featured twice for the U-23s at Children’s Mercy Park in March 2012, helping Los Catrachos to a second-place finish at the CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament and a berth in the 2012 Olympics that summer.
Sporting KC travels to Montreal tonight, with the match starting at 6:30 p.m.