TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Reports
D.C. United are in discussions to add Hamburger SV attacking midfielder Sonny Kittel as a summer signing, according to several reports Monday.
The Athletic’s Pablo Maurer notes the Black-and-Red are in “serious talks” to add the 29-year-old, while The Washington Post’s Steven Goff reports Kittel would be a Designated Player for D.C. and the parties are in “advanced talks.”
Bild, a highly-reputable source in Germany, also reported Kittel is bound for MLS.
Kittel had nine goals and 12 assists this past 2. Bundesliga season, thriving in Germany’s second tier as they finished in third place. They ultimately fell to Hertha BSC in a two-legged promotion playoff to the Bundesliga, where Hamburger played until 2017-18.
Kittel’s heavily linked to D.C. United amid reports of Peruvian international midfielder Edison Flores nearing a move to back-to-back Liga MX champions Atlas, amounting to a possible like-for-like replacement. Flores' potential exit would open a DP slot at the capital city club, with midseason addition Taxi Fountas their other DP. This spring, the Greek international arrived earlier than originally planned from Austria’s Rapid Vienna for a reported $400,000 fee.
The former German youth international has spent his entire professional career in his native country, coming through Eintracht Frankfurt’s youth system before also featuring at FC Ingolstadt 04 and Hamburger. He has 54g/55a in 229 matches across Germany’s top two divisions.
Heading into MLS Week 15, D.C. United are second-from-bottom in the Eastern Conference standings. They parted ways with head coach Hernan Losada earlier this year, with Chad Ashton taking over on an interim basis.
The MLS Secondary Transfer Window opens July 7 and runs through Aug. 4.
