After ESPN reported that Ike Opara had asked Peter Vermes to consider trading him, many Sporting Kansas City fans were understandably concerned. Not only is a healthy Ike in the consideration for the seasonal best XI, his speed and aerial presence are very valuable to a Sporting backline that features many slower players who benefit from Ike’s recovery runs. But with Andreu Fontas arriving last summer with a reported annual salary north of a million dollars per year, and Barath Botund signing with Sporting just a week after Ike’s reported trade request, the tea leaves appeared to point towards Ike’s departure.
Why Ike Opara is Unlikely to be Traded this Window
