Ike Opara’s six-year stay in Kansas City, marked by its adversity and his consistent resurgence, is over.
Sporting Kansas City has agreed to trade Opara, a centerpiece of one of the league’s top defenses, to Minnesota United in exchange for $900,000 in allocation money, league sources told The Star. The return can balloon to $1 million with incentives, the sources said.
The league has not yet approved the deal.
The ensuing exit follows Opara’s request for a pay increase two months ago. In a meeting with Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes, Opara voiced his desire to be compensated more handsomely than the $342,000 he earned in 2018.