Sporting Kansas City bolsters centerback position with signing of French defender
Sporting Kansas City added some much-needed centerback depth Wednesday morning, announcing the signing of Frenchman Nicolas Isimat-Mirin on a free transfer.
The 29-year-old defender signed a two-year MLS contract through 2022 with an option for 2023 and will occupy an international roster spot.
Isimat-Mirin most recently was contracted to Turkish team Besiktas, but his contract was terminated Monday morning. That paved the way for a free transfer to Sporting KC. The Frenchman made only a handful of appearances for the Turkish powerhouse, spending most of his time on loan in his native France, with Toulouse.
Toulouse finished dead last in the French league last season and was relegated to the second division; Isimat-Mirin played in just 14 games, falling out of favor for selection down the stretch.
Despite his tough stint on loan, he has played more than 250 professional matches throughout Europe since his debut in 2010. He was most notably part of the PSV Eindhoven side that won three league championships in 2015-19.
His success with the Dutch giants led to Champions League and Europa League appearances for Isimat-Mirin, including a run to the Champions League round of 16 in 2016 before a loss to Atletico Madrid on penalties after a pair of 0-0 draws.
His addition adds yet more European-level talent to Sporting KC’s roster following the signing of French midfielder Remi Walter in December.
Internationally, Isimat-Mirin has represented France at the U-20 and U-21 levels. He was an integral part of the France backline alongside future FIFA World Cup Raphael Varane during the 2013 UEFA European U-21 Championship qualifying campaign, in which France topped its group.
Isimat-Mirin adds depth and experience to Sporting KC’s thin centerback corps. Matt Besler has signed with Austin FC and Winston Reid’s now with England’s Brentford, leaving Sporting KC with just three senior centerbacks.
If Isimat-Mirin goes straight into the starting lineup, he will most likely play alongside Croatian Roberto Puncec, who made the most starts at centerback for Sporting KC last season. He will also be challenging for the spot alongside the team’s highest-paid defender, Andreu Fontas, and 2018 MLS SuperDraft first-rounder Graham Smith.
The club also has several younger options in its ranks, including 2020 draft pick Matthew Constant and Sporting KC II defenders Kaveh Rad and Danny Barbir.
Isimat-Mirin will arrive in Kansas City later this month as the team gears up for the Feb. 22 start of the MLS preseason.
This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 11:12 AM with the headline "Sporting Kansas City bolsters centerback position with signing of French defender."