KC wins rights to 16-year-old midfielder Luis Gil

Published Feb. 22, 2010 4:01 p.m. ET

foxsports

Kansas City has won Major League Soccer's rights to sought-after 16-year-old American midfielder Luis Gil, the first step in a possible trade.

Gil, a member of the U.S. under-17 team, is from California and may prefer that the Wizards trade him to a team closer to home.

The Wizards won the rights during a weighted lottery conducted by the league, spokesman Will Kuhns said Monday. Kansas City had the third-best chance of winning - the only teams in the league last season with poorer records were New York and San Jose.