Sporting Kansas City announced Thursday that the club has acquired 22-year-old defender Emiliano Amor on a one-year loan from Velez Sarsfield in Argentina.

Amor’s loan comes with an option for Sporting KC to buy the player on a permanent transfer at the end of 2018. He will occupy an international spot on Sporting KC’s roster pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P-1 Visa.

“Emiliano is a young defender we have watched closely, and his arrival gives us another valuable piece along the backline,” Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes said. “We are excited for him to join the club for preseason in Arizona.”

Amor, a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, has spent his first five professional seasons with hometown club Velez Sarsfield, a 10-time champion of the top-flight Argentine Primera Division. The center back has logged more than 50 first-team appearances since emerging from Velez Sarsfield’s youth system.

Amor made his Primera Division debut in November 2014 at age 19, featuring in a 2-0 win over Defensa Y Justicia. He became a regular starter the following year, recording three goals in 25 Primera Division matches for El Fortin. He also helped Velez Sarsfield reach the quarterfinals of the 2014-15 Copa Argentina, starting in three clean-sheet victories and scoring in a Round of 32 triumph against Acassuso.

In 2016, Amor helped propel Velez Sarsfield to a sixth-place finish in Zone 1 of the Primera Division. He then guided the team to another Copa Argentina quarterfinal appearance last fall, anchoring a pair of shutout efforts in the 2016-17 edition of the tournament.

Amor has played eight games during the 2017-18 Primera Division campaign under the guidance of first-year manager Gabriel Heinze, a World Cup veteran and longtime defender for the Argentina Men’s National Team.

Sporting KC travels to Scottsdale, Arizona, on Monday for the first phase of the club’s 2018 preseason, presented by Children’s Mercy. Manager Peter Vermes’ men will return to Kansas City on Feb. 3, then travel back to Arizona for the second leg of preseason in Tucson from Feb. 9-25. For a full list of Sporting KC’s offseason roster moves, visit SportingKC.com/tracker.

Transaction: Sporting Kansas City (MLS) acquires defender Emiliano Amor on a one-year loan from Velez Sarsfield (Argentina) with an option to buy at the end of 2018.

VITALS

Emiliano Amor (ah-MORE)

Position: Defender

Number: TBD

Born: 5/16/1995

Height: 6-0

Weight: 175 lbs.

Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Birthplace: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Citizenship: Argentina

Previous club: Velez Sarsfield (Argentina)

Twitter: @loveemiliano

Instagram: @emilianoamor