Sporting Kansas City continued their offseason makeover on Monday by announcing that they have signed Canadian international left back Marcel de Jong.
De Jong is the 13th player added by Kansas City ahead of their return to the Western Conference. Sporting are scheduled to kick off the 2015 season against the team that knocked them out of last year's playoffs, the New York Red Bulls on Sunday at Sporting Park (7pm ET, FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes).
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The 28-year-old de Jong, last with German Bundesliga club Augsburg, has made 31 career appearances for Canada, debuting in November 2007.
“We continue to look to add experience in the players joining our roster,” Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes said in a club statement. “Marcel’s time in the German Bundesliga and with the Canadian men’s national team will bring excellent experience to the team.”
De Jong had been on trial with Sporting at the Desert Diamond Cup in Tucson, Arizona, making four appearances at left back.
“I am happy to be here, and I am looking forward to a great season with Sporting Kansas City,” de Jong said. “I hope that we can do well and achieve our goals.”
A dual citizen of Canada and Netherlands who was born in Newmarket, Ontario, de Jong began his youth career with PSV Eindhoven before signing professionally with Helmond Sport in 2004. After two years in the Dutch second division – and scoring against Italy at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands – de Jong joined Roda JC in the top flight Eredivisie in 2006.
De Jong made the move to Germany following four seasons with the Miners, highlighted by a run to the 2007-08 KNVB Cup final, when he signed with Augsburg in 2010. His initial season with Augsburg culminated with promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time since the team was founded in 1907, and the club maintained first division status for each of the past four campaigns.
In total, de Jong has logged more than 225 club appearances over his past 10 professional seasons in Netherlands and Germany.
