Utah Royals add standout Canadian midfielder Desiree Scott from Kansas City


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SANDY — Utah Royals FC, the state of Utah’s latest professional women’s soccer franchise, has added a little destruction to its midfield.

The club announced Monday that Canadian international Desiree Scott, who played at the now-defunct FC Kansas City last season in the National Women’s Soccer League, will join the NWSL’s newest side in time for the 2018 season.

The 30-year-old Scott featured in 35 games for FC Kansas City in 2017 after being allocated to the side last February. She spent the previous two seasons at Notts County in England’s FA WSL, where she led the team to FA Women’s Cup Final in 2015.

Prior to the move overseas, the Winnipeg, Manitoba, native played briefly for FC Kansas City in 2013.

"I’m very excited about the new adventure ahead with the Utah Royals," Scott said in a statement from the club. "I feel very fortunate to be part of a club that wants to do amazing things, not only in the NWSL, but for the women’s game."

A longtime Canadian international, the 5-foot, 3-inch midfielder nicknamed "the Destroyer" has represented Canada since her Under-16 days, and helped the Canadians to a bronze medal in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. She’s also spent time as an assistant coach at her alma mater, the University of Manitoba, and helms a charity called KidSport Winnipeg, which aims to remove the financial barriers to playing sports with annual soccer camps for girls in Canada.

Photo: Nelson Antoine, AP Photo
Photo: Nelson Antoine, AP Photo

Scott becomes the fifth player in Utah Royals history, joining former Kansas City teammate Becky Sauerbrunn, Sky Blue FC (New Jersey) transfers Kelley O’Hara and Taylor Lytle, and Icelandic international Gunnhildur “Gunny” Jonsdottir.

The Royals acquired the roster of Kansas City via league arbitration when the franchise folded, but only Sauerbrunn and Scott have formally pledged for the 2018 season. The active roster by the end of the 2017 season also included standouts like U.S. internationals Sydney Leroux Dwyer and Amy Rodriguez, among others.

Utah holds the No. 14 and No. 25 picks in the NWSL college draft, which begins Thursday. The club previously traded the No. 5 overall pick to Sky Blue FC in the trade that acquired O’Hara and Lytle.

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