Seattle Sounders got a head start on Thursday’s Major League Soccer SuperDraft, pulling off a major trade Wednesday that also included an exchange of draft picks.
Long-time Sounders central defenders Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Patrick Ianni were sent to the Chicago Fire to grab defender Jalil Anibaba.
“Jalil is a centre-back who has tremendous upside,” Sounders coach Sigi Schmid said in a news release.
“He has been very durable, and we expect him to contribute right away.”
Anibaba, 25, has started 93 games for Chicago over the past three seasons, including all 34 regular-season matches in 2013, when he recorded one goal and a career-high three assists.
He joined the Fire as the ninth pick in the 2011 SuperDraft after playing at Santa Clara University.
Hurtado, 29, and Ianni, 28, came to Seattle in the 2009 expansion season, and both appeared regularly.
In 2013, Hurtado matched his career high with 27 appearances. He started 103 games as a Sounder. In 2009, he was an MLS All-Star and finalist for defender of the year.
Ianni made 83 career appearances with Seattle, including 68 starts.
As part of the deal, the Sounders moved up five places in the SuperDraft, getting the Fire’s No. 8 selection and a conditional 2015 third-round pick, while sending this season’s No. 13 pick to Chicago.
No comments:
Post a Comment