COLUMBUS – Columbus Crew SC today announced that it has signed free agent midfielder Perry Kitchen. The 10-year veteran joins the reigning MLS Cup champions after having most recently played for the LA Galaxy. Kitchen, 28, has made 218 regular-season appearances in eight seasons in Major League Soccer and overall brings a decade of professional experience which also includes playing in the first division of Scotland and Denmark.
“Perry is a seasoned player whose addition to our roster will help bolster our midfield,” said Crew SC President & General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “Along with bringing a decade of professional experience and leadership in MLS and abroad, Perry will provide another important veteran voice to our locker room. We believe that his qualities as a player on and off the field will allow him to fit right in at our Club.”
Kitchen played for the LA Galaxy from 2018-2020, making 60 regular-season appearances (52 starts) and recording four assists. Before his time with the Galaxy, the midfielder featured for Randers FC of Denmark’s topflight, making 19 appearances across all competitions in 2017. Prior to that, Kitchen played for Heart of Midlothian FC of the Scottish Premier League from 2016-2017, where he made 45 appearances and provided four assists across all competitions while serving as the team’s captain.
Chosen by D.C. United in the first round of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, Kitchen spent five years with D.C. from 2011-2015. In all, the midfielder made 158 regular-season appearances (155 starts), scored 10 goals and provided eight assists. During his tenure with D.C., Kitchen helped the club win a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (2013) and was named D.C. United’s Player of the Year for the 2013 season.
Internationally, Kitchen has earned five caps with the U.S. Men’s National Team since making his debut for the Stars and Stripes in a 2013 friendly against Canada (January 29). Kitchen has also represented the U.S. at the Under-17, U-20 and U-23 levels.
At the collegiate level, the midfielder played for the University of Akron during the 2010 season, making 25 appearances while scoring six goals and registering one assist. In his lone year playing collegiately, Kitchen helped Akron win the 2010 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship and was also named to the All-MAC First Team.
The Black & Gold’s New Crew Stadium is slated to open in July of this year. Supporters’ interested in learning more about purchasing 2021 Season Ticket Memberships at Crew SC’s new world-class facility should visit CrewStadium.com to book an appointment.
The core of Crew SC’s 2020 MLS Cup-winning roster is set to return for the 2021 season. Crew SC exercised the contract options on eight players from its 2020 roster. With 17 other players already under contract for the 2021 season, the addition of Kitchen gives the Black & Gold a roster that currently features 26 players.
Crew SC's current 2021 roster, listed alphabetically by position, is below:
Goalkeepers (4): Evan Bush, Eric Dick, Matt Lampson, Eloy Room
Defenders (8): Harrison Afful, Waylon Francis, Aboubacar Keita, Grant Lillard, Jonathan Mensah, Milton Valenzuela, Josh Williams, Vito Wormgoor
Midfielders (11): Artur, Sebastian Berhalter, Luis Diaz, Derrick Etienne, Jr., Perry Kitchen, Aidan Morris, Kevin Molino, Darlington Nagbe, Isaiah Parente, Pedro Santos, Lucas Zelarayan
Forwards (3): Miguel Berry, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Gyasi Zardes
TRANSACTION: Columbus Crew SC signs free agent midfielder Perry Kitchen on January 28, 2021.
Name: Perry Kitchen
Position: Midfielder
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 160
Born: February 29, 1992 in Indianapolis, Indiana
Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
Citizenship: United States
Acquired: Signed by Crew SC from free agency on January 28, 2021
Previous Experience: LA Galaxy (2018-2020), Randers (2017), Heart of Midlothian FC (2016-2017), D.C. United (2011-2015)
