Sporting KC pushing to sign Toulouse winger Yann Gboho: Sources

Sporting KC are pushing to sign Toulouse winger Yann Gboho, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.

Toulouse are expected to value Gboho at $20 million and Sporting KC would face stiff competition for his signature with European clubs if they could strike a deal, sources add. SKC is in initial discussions with a number of Designated Player targets this summer.

Any potential deal would easily be a club-record fee for Sporting KC, with Toulouse’s expected asking price more than double their current record signing (Alan Pulido, $9.5 million).

Gboho, 25, is a former France youth international who just wrapped up his best season with 10 goals and three assists in 35 appearances across all competitions.

Born in Ivory Coast, Gboho declared in March he wants to switch to represent the Les Elephants. He was not part of their World Cup roster but could be in the future.

Sporting KC is in a transitional season, the first in a new era following the departure of club legend Peter Vermes as chief soccer officer and head coach as well as a change in majority ownership. New CSO David Lee is looking to build out the sporting infrastructure and overturn a roster that had failed to evolve with the league in recent years.

Rapha Wicky was named head coach this winter and, after an extremely slow start, the team got more competitive in the games leading up to MLS’s World Cup break. They still sit bottom of the Western Conference with 11 points after 14 matches.

The club has two DPs: Dejan Joveljic and Manu Garcia. They can add a third this summer if they choose and seem intent to do so.