Red Bull New York and veteran center back Robert Voloder are in talks, and a deal is considered to be “very close” to being completed, sources tell amNewYork.
The 24-year-old German has spent the last four seasons with Sporting Kansas City, making 78 appearances during that spell. A product of German Bundesliga side Köln’s academy, he spent two seasons with Maribor in Slovenia before making the jump to the United States.
Voloder was limited to just 20 appearances across all competitions last season after suffering a broken collarbone in May, which shelved him until early August. He started 16 of his 18 MLS matches last season, completing 59 progressive passes, which are completed passes that move the ball toward the opponent’s goal line by at least 10 yards or any completed pass into the penalty area, excluding passes from the defending 40% of the field.
It was not enough for Sporting KC to move forward with him after his contract expired, as they announced in late October that they would not welcome him back in 2026.
Should a move get over the finish line, Voloder will immediately be put into the mix at a changing picture within New York’s back line. They traded long-time starting center back and former captain Sean Nealis to DC United last month, and parted ways with another German, Alexander Hack, on Monday, leaving Swedish youngster Noah Eile and MLS veteran Tim Parker as the only viable options at the position for now.
The Red Bulls have been active this offseason, also bidding farewell to winger Lewis Morgan and midfielder Peter Stroud in trades completed last month. They brought in US national team hopeful and winger Cade Cowell from Chivas Guadalajara, as well as right-back Justin Che from Brondy.
