Alan Pulido has been an important part of the Sporting Kansas City attack the past two seasons. (Photo courtesy of Sporting KC)

Sporting Kansas City announced Tuesday that forward Alan Pulido will miss the 2022 MLS season due to a knee injury.

Pulido is scheduled to have surgery on his left knee on Monday, Jan. 17, and is expected to be sidelined for nine to 12 months.

The 30-year-old Pulido has recorded 15 goals and eight assists in two seasons with Sporting since joining MLS in December 2019 from LIGA MX club Chivas de Guadalajara. He has started 29 of 36 appearances for SKC in all competitions, helping the team to a first-place finish in the Western Conference in 2020 and a third-place finish in last year.

Sporting will train in Arizona from Jan. 17 to Feb. 19.

Head coach Peter Vermes’ side will kick off the MLS season on Feb. 27, visiting Atlanta United FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, before hosting Houston Dynamo FC at its Children’s Mercy Park home opener on March 5.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.