Nicolas Lodeiro, the attacking midfielder who just helped Argentina powerhouse Boca Juniors reach the semifinals of the prestigious Copa Libertadores club championship in South America, has signed with the Seattle Sounders as a designated player.
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“We have doggedly pursued our top target, Nicolás Lodeiro, for the past several months and we are delighted our persistence finally paid off with his signing”, said Sounders GM/President Garth Lagerwey. He’s made his teams better. We believe he can be a big piece of where we want to take the Sounders long term.
The Sounders now reside in ninth place in the Western Conference and announced on Tuesday they had agreed to mutually part ways with longtime head coach Sigi Schmid.
Lodeiro, 27, has spent the past two seasons as a member of Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors and also has 48 career caps and two World Cup appearances for Uruguay’s national team. “He’s competed in Brazil for Botafogo and Corinthians and been successful there, helping Botafogo make it to Copa Libertadores”.
The veteran of Dutch power Ajax, as well as Brazilian clubs Corinthinans and Botafogo, will join the Sounders with the hope of helping the club rescue its season. He helped lead the side to the Primera Division title in 2015-16, scoring three goals and recording six assists in 17 appearances. Toronto FC’s Sebastian Giovinco is an example of a player whose goal scoring numbers increased dramatically since his MLS debut, and while I don’t expect Lodeiro to score at the same kind of rate as the reigning MLS MVP, his shooting ability means he can chip in with his fair share of goals from the No. 10 position.
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The 27-year-old will occupy an worldwide roster spot for the Sounders and joins forwards Clint Dempsey and Nelson Valdez as the club’s three Designated Players. “Lodeiro has proven himself to be an excellent player, fantastic teammate and beloved fan favorite at every stage of his professional career, and we are very excited to have him as part of our organization”. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
