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Sporting Kansas City plays down link with Spanish midfielder Guti
The playmaker is on his way out of Besitkas and is rumored to be of interest to MLS teams.
Nov 14, 2011 8:59:00 PM
By Seth Vertelney
If Jose Maria Gutierrez Hernandez is a MLS player in 2012, it appears unlikely it will be with Sporting Kansas City.
The Spanish playmaker's contract has reportedly been cancelled by current side Besitkas, and a tweet from Sporting KC CEO Robb Heineman last week raised the possibility that Guti could be on his way to Kansas City.
"'and btw making an offer on a Spanish DP today," Heineman's tweet said. The CEO was in Spain at the same time Guti tweeted he was in Spain, and several rumors linked the player to Sporting KC.
Sporting KC VP of communications Rob Thomson revealed exclusively to Goal.com that any speculation tying the 35-year-old ex-Real Madrid man to his team is unfounded.
"Our technical staff along with our ownership group are looking at a lot of players right now, but Guti seems just to be a speculative rumor," Thomson said.
Guti was with Real Madrid for nearly 15 seasons as a senior player before joining Turkish giants Besitkas in the summer of 2010. The midfielder reportedly had disciplinary problems this season and was unhappy with his lack of playing time before his release.
Over the international break, Guti returned to Spain, citing personal reasons, but failed to report back to Istanbul for training this week.
"Gutierez Hernandez has begun talks over termination of the contract existing between us," a brief statement from the club read.
The player lifted the Turkish cup in his first season at the club.
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The Spanish playmaker's contract has reportedly been cancelled by current side Besitkas, and a tweet from Sporting KC CEO Robb Heineman last week raised the possibility that Guti could be on his way to Kansas City.
"'and btw making an offer on a Spanish DP today," Heineman's tweet said. The CEO was in Spain at the same time Guti tweeted he was in Spain, and several rumors linked the player to Sporting KC.
Sporting KC VP of communications Rob Thomson revealed exclusively to Goal.com that any speculation tying the 35-year-old ex-Real Madrid man to his team is unfounded.
"Our technical staff along with our ownership group are looking at a lot of players right now, but Guti seems just to be a speculative rumor," Thomson said.
Guti was with Real Madrid for nearly 15 seasons as a senior player before joining Turkish giants Besitkas in the summer of 2010. The midfielder reportedly had disciplinary problems this season and was unhappy with his lack of playing time before his release.
Over the international break, Guti returned to Spain, citing personal reasons, but failed to report back to Istanbul for training this week.
"Gutierez Hernandez has begun talks over termination of the contract existing between us," a brief statement from the club read.
The player lifted the Turkish cup in his first season at the club.
Follow SETH VERTELNEY on
or shoot him an email
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