Sounders trade away 2 Two International Roster Spots via Trade featuring the New York Red Bulls

The Sounders have already laid out their plans to recruit domestically instead of turning towards the foreign markets this season. And recently we've doubled down on it with another trade this time with the New York Red Bulls. The 1st team we ever faced in the MLS and in Seattle. And that historic relationship continues.

We traded 2 International slots to the Red Bull led club. This was in exchange for $300,000 of GAM in 2025, and $50,000 of GAM in 2026. this was extremely similar to a trade we made a few days ago. Where he traded 2 other International slots with brand new club San Diego FC for 250,000$. And like it it'll benefit us to have more money for things like transfers and resigning players but is having such a focus on the US only is it a smart approach?

While there is lots of proven great players in the MLS and from the US of course. And getting those who understand the league already and don't have to adapt to it is a lot safer and always will be. Such as Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola who we're are linked to. But there's so many talents out there in the rest of the world who we are now missing out on who could fill our needs and we could sell from out of the MLS for a lot money as for who in the MLS we should buy.

A MLS guy and 1 from FC Dallas, since we're so keen on buying from them would be the Romanian winger Enes Sali. Only 18, the only downside I see to this is that if FC Dallas is selling both Paul Arriola and Jesus Ferreira, it's very likely 1 of the reasons they're willing to do that is that they see Sali as a fitting replacement for 1 of em, probably Arriola considering the position. It says a lot that someone who's only played in MLS Next Pro and is of course so young has already snatched a senior cap for Romania. In 25 appearances in the 2024 MLS Next Pro season when he was 17, he had 13 total goal contributions, with 8 goals and 5 assists. He even scored a goal in the playoffs. The stated reason FC Dallas are so ready to depart with 2 key contributors is because they want to build around the style of their new coach. I don't know how well Sali fits with his style, but if there's any doubts, we could play on those and also get him on the yellow brick road to the Emerald City, along with Paul Arriola and Jesus Ferreira. Either way, coming to Seattle or not, he's 1 to look out for. Someone else struggling for time like Booth but has MLS experience and very recent experience too, is ex New York City FC and current EC Bahia in Brazil Uruguayan CDM Nicolás Acevedo. Who impressed in the MLS with NYC FC and would be smart to bring him back state side and give him the time and star power he's lacking in Brazil. Jake Girdwood-Reich last year came to St. Louis SC this year from Sydney FC for a undisclosed fee after a great campaign in Australia. Not only did his club win the Australia Cup, he also made the A-League team of the season forthe 2023-24 season. But despite no injuries or any setbacks like that, he played very little for the St. Louis soccer club, only making a total of 12 appearances, mostly substitute appearances and even an appearance for St.Louis II. So his transition to the states hasn't been the smoothest, but he's shown obvious talent. Perhaps after a year of humbling, he'd be ready to accept a more frequent sub role here as a second chance to get back on his feet and carve out a career here in America and become the depth guy for the Sounders for a few years.