KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Sporting Kansas City has acquired Brazilian defender Igor Juliao on loan from Fluminense FC for next season, reuniting the 22-year-old with the MLS club where he spent the 2014 season.
The clubs announced the deal on Friday.
OFFICIAL: #SportingKC acquires Brazilian defender Igor Juliao on loan for the 2017 @MLS season.
Details ➡️ https://t.co/tApZRmMeCH pic.twitter.com/rv2HUuuZ5M
- Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) December 23, 2016
Juliao had three assists in 26 starts in his first stint with Sporting KC. He returned to Brazil following that loan and played for ABC Futebol Clube and Macae, then played 12 matches for Ferroviaria in the Campeonato Paulista. He rejoined Fluminense this summer in Brazil's top division.
Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes said: "Igor is a player we are very familiar with and eager to welcome back. He showed a lot of promise in 2014, and we look forward to integrating him back to our team."
Juliao has been part of Fluminense's organization since joining its academy as an 8-year-old youth player. He made his Serie A debut in 2012 at age 17.