Sporting Kansas City signs goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra

Sporting Kansas City reached a one-year contract agreement with goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra on Tuesday, nearly three weeks after it plucked him from the MLS Re-Entry Draft.

It’s the second straight season in which Sporting KC has utilized the draft to supplement its goalkeeper depth chart.

Dykstra, 31, has been in MLS for seven years, most recently with D.C. United, which declined his contract option earlier this offseason. The seven-year tenure has included only 31 league matches, in which he totaled an 11-11-8 record with seven shutouts. In Kansas City, Dykstra will likely serve as the backup to starter Tim Melia.

“We wanted to fill that role with a veteran of MLS,” Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes said. “We know (him) very well from his time in the league. He has a good attitude, and we look forward (to) working with him this coming season.”

Dykstra played in only one match last season, which was interrupted by a back injury. But he played in eight games for the D.C. United USL affiliate in Richmond, recording a 1.25 goals-against average.

A year ago, Sporting KC selected goalkeeper Alec Kann in the Re-Entry Draft, but Kann was selected by Atlanta United in the expansion draft last month.

This story was originally published January 10, 2017 at 12:49 PM with the headline "Sporting Kansas City signs goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra."