The first offseason departure of a Portland Hearts of Pine original was confirmed on Tuesday, as the Richmond Kickers announced the signing of veteran center back Sean Vinberg.
The New York City native had stints with various lower-league sides in Germany including Heider SV and Phönix Lübeck before returning to the United States with Central Valley Fuego in 2024. Vinberg then joined the Hearts for their inaugural USL League One campaign, becoming a mainstay in the Portland backline.
Throughout the season, Vinberg logged 33 starts for the Hearts. He quickly became a fan favorite, earning a reputation as one of Portland's most reliable players.
As the season went along, Vinberg saw fewer starts – particularly in the playoffs – as head coach Bobby Murphy preferred to use the center back pairing of rookie Kemali Green and the veteran Frenchman Sega Coulibaly. Despite this, Vinberg continued to turn in good performances, often deputizing as a right back in relief of Mo Mohamed.
In Richmond, Vinberg will look to shore up a revamped backline, as the Kickers lost the likes of Gui França and Marcelo Lage in the winter. He'll also provide an important veteran presence in a young Richmond squad that includes a USMNT U20 training camp invitee in center back Griffin Garnett.
The Hearts, on the other hand, are likely to add another defender alongside new additions Brecc Evans, Zion Scarlett, and Serigne Mback Faye before their opening USL League One match against NY Cosmos on March 14.
