After retaining the rights to former United States international Herculez Gomez for nearly six seasons, Sporting Kansas City no longer has claim to the 33-year-old forward as they traded his rights to Toronto FC in exchange for allocation money.
Sporting Kansas City held the right of first refusal, which meant that if Gomez wanted to return to Major League Soccer, Sporting KC would have the first chance to put him on their roster. This is a result of them making him an offer following the 2009 season and him declining, moving to Liga MX.
He has been open about his displeasure with the MLS rules regarding rights of first refusal and about his tenure in Kansas City, tweeting directly at MLS commissioner Don Garber about Kansas City holding his rights and also expressing his frustration with the way he was treated by Peter Vermes and then the Kansas City Wizards following his signing with Puebla in 2010.