Josh Atencio will move to CB

The 22 year old Bellevue native has in his 91 appearances for the club he's shown glimpses of becoming a elite player even as he struggles with injury like last season. With so much quality in the midfield and defensively plus a lot of recent young signings on the defensive side of the ball. It brings up the question of what role Atencio would have fully recovered for 2025? A question that Brian Schmetzer was happy to answer! Answering that the young midfielder would be a midfielder no longer and instead would be centerback for 2025.

This make be weird with the signings of the likes of Leo Burney and Travian Sousa plus drafting Demian Alvarez it seems like we're filling up on young defenders but no so fast. As Brian Schmetzer said in the post season presser the Sounders will be switching to a 5-3-2 meaning the Sounders will be starting 3 centerback, leaving both lots of room for Atencio to start at CB while leaving lots of room for the younger players to come and start on occasion and lots of chances to play as subs for 1 of the 5 defenders.

Not to mention that right now we do have a logjam at CDM even with 2 CDMs starting. With Joao Pablo returning and us drafting Ryan Baer a CDM from West Virgina University plus having the likes of Danny Leyva, Obed Vargas and Cristian Roldan who can play the position if needed. We have a lot of depth at the CDM position. So taking someone who's most of his biggest strengths like aerial duels,

interceptions and
tackling being defensive in nature means it should be a smooth transition and a great way to give him a role in a squad that's being bolstered by the minute with moves like the 1s for Arriola and Jesus Ferreira plus looking to further boost our defense with the return of Korean enforcer Kim Kee-hee after a successful as Hell stint in the K League. sSo with all this I'm sure as hell looking forward to what the Sounders defense will do this season.