Update:
The Oakland Roots confirmed that Emrah Klimenta has re-signed with the club on Monday.
Roots’ new head coach Juan Guerra mentioned that he quickly spoke with Klimenta once arriving in Oakland.
“I spoke with Emrah after I signed,” said Guerra, via the team’s official site. “He is hungry, knows this league, and knows the culture of this city and club. Someone who will be very important for us on and off the field, as I know what he meant to this team last year and what the team and city mean to him as well. I said I want to sign good character people first and that is why I knew I had to have Emrah with us in 2022.”
Multiple sources have informed the blog that the Oakland Roots are signing defender Emrah Klimenta to a contract extension.
An official announcement from the club is expected in the coming days.
The news keeps rolling in for Roots following the addition of new head coach Juan Guerra. Klimenta will mark the second signing under the new regime following fellow defender Alejandro Fuenmayor‘s arrival on Wednesday.
The blog also learned that the club is in talks with free-agent Edgardo Rito.
Klimenta emerged as a leader in the lineup after joining the organization four games into the season on June 5, eventually earning the captain’s armband and the team’s Player of the Year award.
John Morrissey of USL Tactics keyed on Klimenta’s importance in Roots’ 1-0 playoff win over El Paso.
Klimenta, 30, was the Roots’ most active player and led the club with 2,359 minutes played and 26 starts last season. He had 181 more minutes than their second-most active, Kai Greene.
In 2021, the Roots’ defender finished with a 6.98 overall rating including a 7.78 average in two playoff appearances, according to FotMob.com.
He was credited for 1,370 total passes, averaged 40.5 accurate passes per match at an 80.3 completion percentage, to go along with three key passes, 92 clearances, 10 successful dribbles, 41 interceptions, and 21 successful tackles out of 32 attempts.
Klimenta’s header goal on October 6 against Sacramento, his former club, was his first score since 2017 with the Republic.
Provided is a clip of his legendary Oct. 6 game-winner.
Klimenta’s career began in 2009 with Slovakia’s MŠK Žilina and Germany’s FC Ingolstadt 04 before joining Cal Poly University the following year. He signed with the Bay Area Ambassadors of the NPSL in 2011 and later joined the Sacramento Republic in 2014 after trying out for the team.
He played from 2014-2017 with Sacramento, finishing his time as the organization’s all-time leader in minutes, starts, and appearances. The Republic won the USL Championship in his first year at the club. After a brief stint with the LA Galaxy, he returned to Sacramento for the remainder of 2018.
Klimenta made 18 appearances for Reno 1868 in 2019 and 12 caps for San Diego Loyal last season.
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