Sporting KC reaches agreement to transfer Krisztian Nemeth to club in Qatar

Krisztian Nemeth’s time in Kansas City came to an abrupt end Friday.

Sporting Kansas City reached an agreement to transfer Nemeth, its second leading scorer from last season, to Al-Gharafa SC in Qatar. The move is pending the completion of a physical.

Because Nemeth was still under contract, Sporting KC will receive a transfer fee for his departure, one-third of which will be forwarded to Major League Soccer. Sports Illustrated reported the fee was slightly less than $3 million.

“We wish Krisztian the best of luck and thank him for his valuable contributions to the club,” Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes said in a statement. “He is a talented player who made tremendous strides last year, including helping us win the U.S. Open Cup.”

Nemeth, 27, revitalized his career with Sporting KC in 2015. He trailed only Dom Dwyer in scoring, tallying 16 goals across all competitions. Before Sporting KC lured him to MLS last offseason, he had scored only 18 goals over an eight-year span. He joined Kansas City on a free transfer.

Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman told The Star in November that multiple overseas teams had called to inquire about Nemeth’s availability. Heineman said Sporting KC would consider selling if it made sense for both the player and club, calling it an “interesting case” to monitor during the offseason.

Nemeth made $250,000 last season and was seeking a raise in 2016.

"When players don't want to be here, we try to maximize the opportunity," Heineman said via Twitter late Friday. "We're going (to) win this year — trust us."

His 2015 production put Nemeth back on the map with Hungary’s national team, which offered him a chance to showcase his ability on an international stage. He made eight appearances for the national team in 2015 after making zero in 2014.

He was awarded the MLS goal of the year for a score in which he knifed through several members of the Portland Timbers defense before placing a game-winner in the net.

With the possibly of transferring Nemeth hanging over the offseason, Sporting KC added a pair of MLS veterans as insurance plans. The club made the first free agency signing in MLS history when it inked former All-Star winger Justin Mapp to a contract in December. Mapp, 31, has 23 goals and 70 assists in 318 career MLS appearances.

Sporting KC also acquired six-time MLS All-Star Brad Davis, a World Cup veteran, in a trade with Houston. Davis, 34, ranked third in league history with 122 career assists.

But Nemeth’s departure leaves Sporting KC with only two true central forwards on the roster — Dwyer and Daniel Salloi, a 19-year-old striker who signed earlier this month as the fourth homegrown player in franchise history. Vermes, however, has said that Sporting KC plans to make more additions before the 2016 season starts in March.

This story was originally published January 29, 2016 at 5:45 PM with the headline "Sporting KC reaches agreement to transfer Krisztian Nemeth to club in Qatar."