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What was rumored for over a week is now official.
The rumored transfer that our friends at World Soccer Reader first broke a week ago is now complete. And with it Seattle Sounders FC becomes the first MLS side to officially carry the maximum of 3 Designated Players (DPs) beating out Red Bull New York who look set to sign Mexican international Rafa Marquez. Though how long the Sounders will have three is an open question with the almost sure departure of Freddie Ljungberg looming. Nevertheless Fernandez at 24 becomes one of the youngest Designated Players to come to MLS.
Want to know more about Fernandez? Well Joshua Mayers at the Seattle Times has a detailed Q&A with the player here.
Seattle Sounders FC Press Release:
Uruguayan Midfielder Alvaro Fernandez Signs with Sounders FC
Played in Four 2010 World Cup Matches for Semifinalists
RENTON, WASH. – The Seattle Sounders FC have acquired Uruguay National Team midfielder Alvaro Fernandez, it was announced today. Fernandez, 24 played in four matches for semifinalist Uruguay during the recent 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Fernandez qualifies as the club’s third Designated Player. His signing will be finalized upon receipt of his International Transfer Certificate. Fernandez has not yet been added to the active roster. Per Major League Soccer and club policy, terms were not disclosed.
Fernandez started for Uruguay in the quarterfinal against Ghana and was a substitute in wins over South Africa, Mexico and South Korea. La Celeste took fourth in South Africa, its best finish since 1970. He has been capped 11 times by Uruguay-including appearances in six qualifiers-since his debut in 2008.
“I’m very excited to be playing in the U.S. because the football has grown a lot in the last few years and keeps getting better,” said Fernandez. “Seattle is beautiful and I think it’s the ideal place to be with my family. All these things helped in making my decision.”
“Alvaro is a versatile player who can play in a number of midfield positions,” said Sigi Schmid, Sounders FC head coach. “He brings good energy to the game as well as World Cup experience. He can score and also set-up others.”
Fernandez played the 2010 season for Chile’s Universidad. Universidad, located in Santiago, finished second in the Primera Division and is currently in the semifinal stage of the Copa Libertadores, the South American club championship.
Said Fernandez: “My goals are always the same whenever I join a team: try to help, on and off the field; help the club achieve its goals; and, obviously, win championships. I believe I can contribute through my experience. I describe myself as a fast, smooth player, who can play on either flank. I am strong in the air, and I work very hard.”
“Alvaro is experienced internationally and he has demonstrated a tremendous work rate and great tactical awareness,” said Chris Henderson Sounders FC technical director. “He likes to connect passes, possesses good pace and moves well off the ball.”
Fernandez earned his first selection by the Uruguay National Team while playing for Nacional. In addition to national team play, Fernandez has top-flight experience in Uruguay, Mexico, Portugal and Chile. In 2009 Nacional won the Uruguayan Primeria Division and reached the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores.
Transaction: Seattle Sounders (MLS) – Signed MF Alvaro Fernandez
Position: Midfielder
Height: 6-1
Weight: 159
Birthdate: 10/11/1985
Birthplace: Soriano, Uruguay
Citizenship: Uruguay
Uniform Number:15
Pronunciation: AHL-bah-ro
Last Club: Universidad de Chile (Chile; on loan from Nacional) 2010
Previous Clubs (chronological): Atenas (2006), Montevideo Wanderers (2007-08), Puebla (Mexico, 2008), Nacional (Uruguay, 2008-09), Vitoria Setubal (Portugal, 2009-10)
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Glad the MLS teams that are bringing in money are spending it in a way to reward fans. I say this as players like this will elevate the level of play and perhaps push the Sounders into a playoff position, I dont think they are currently that far out of it. Discounting tickets is not the way to repay fans, this is.
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^^^ I agree. Teams like Seattle and Toronto don’t need players that will sell tickets. They do that well enough anyway. What they need is more players that can help the team win… And these less known stars are a good way to do it. At 24, this guy hasn’t even reached his prime yet… Put him alongside Montero, Zakuani and Nkufo and it becomes a dangerous side to play against.
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aside from blaise, who is the third?
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Ljunberg is still the 3rd official DP
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Actually
DP #1 = ljungberg DP #2 = N’kufo DP #3 = Fernandez
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Will the Seattle Sounders be looking to add a 3rd DP once Freddie is officially no longer with the team? Have there been any rumors circulating? I hope this guy helps the Sounders go far in the CCL.
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Ljungberg was No.1, Nkufo was No.2 and now Fernandez is No.3. Seattle has a great young core now of Montero(23), Alonso (24), Zakuani (22), Hurtado (26), Montano (19), Fernandez (24) and Seamon (22).
You can’t name an MLS team with that amount of youth, with the talent they have. With that young core plus the good veterans seattle has like Nkufo, Jaqua, Sturgis, Evans (currently injured), Marshall, Keller, Gonzalez and Parke this team is well on it’s way to a massive rebound.
Even with CCL, MLS and USOC I don’t think the Sounders will be hurting at all.
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@OldBoy – Adrian said today that we have to pay the luxury tax for the 3rd DP if they are on the roster at the same time (all but hinting that they expect Ljungberg to be gone before Fernandez gets his ITC). But in doing so he also mentioned that the “luxury tax” is a one-time payment which means if they do pay it and then lose Freddie, they won’t have to pay it if the 3rd DP is replaced. Sounds to me like they’re working on it.
BTW, nearly all film shows this kid playing rightside so it’s another sign he’s seen as a Ljungberg replacement.
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Fernandez is a great addition to the squad–a skilled, young player who is in form. It’s great that an international talent like Fernandez seems to be keen on playing in the MLS. Great move by the SSFC front office; it will benefit the team and the league!
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OldBoy – There’s an article back in our archives with Sounders owner Joe Roth talking about the Sounders using the full allotment of 3 DPs.
Click here for the article.
Assuming that Ljungberg leaves, and it seems it’s almost certain that he will, then Seattle is likely to replace him with another DP.
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Oh nice one!!! He is a great player!!!
Ljunberg had everything to be a great player for Sounders and MLS but, did not work out. That sucks. If he is really gone, let’s hope that Sounders dont take long to bring somebody who can impact the team better than he did.
Zé Roberto, who plays for Hamburgo, already mention that he would like to come play in the US.
I don’t really know much about Sounders, but from what I’ve seen in the games (trough ESPN here in Brazil), Sounders have issues in the middle. Alonso is a heck of a player, but when he is gone, the team has problems.
Zé Roberto would fit perfectly, cuz you would have Zé Roberto and Alonso in the middle, helping the defense and passing the ball with quality, with Zakuani in the left mid, Fernandez in the right mid, and Montero and N’kufo in the atack. Would be a heck of a attack.
Cheers
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Brazilian Fan,
Seattle has 16 days to transfer/trade Ljungberg and sign someone else before summer transfer window closes.
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Seattle has set the tone for how the rest of the MLS Clubs need to build their rosters. Kraft needs to take heed and get off his keister and build a team that can play. Good stuff out of the NW.
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MLSINFLANOW,
its only going to get better out of the NW with Vancouver and Portland choosing their players and DPs.
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the guy played for my hometown’s team ( atenas ), can’t go wrong.
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MLSINFLANOW… you talk about the sounders like they have been in the league for many years… time will tell
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16 days does not seem like enough time to unload Ljungberg and replace him with a top quality DP. I would have thought that we would have heard a rumor or a name if Seattle was close to signing another DP – on the assumption that Ljungberg is leaving. If we can replace him I’d say either a strong central midfielder or central defender would be next on the list.
I think there is a possibility that either Nkufo or Fernandez might only be DP’s for this year because of salary cap limitations. if you read between the lines they only have to count a DP at $165k if signed for the 2nd half so it may be advantageous to do that if the guy is getting $250-300k a year. Next year we could possibly fit that in the budget (a few of our non-dp’s earn in that range) as a non dp and pick up somebody else as a true DP. Will be interesting.
The truth is we are all still a long way behind New York ( Angel, Henry and Marquez) in terms of the quality levels of our DP’s. At this stage – In Seattle we have an absent proven player like Ljungberg and then 2 players who have a pedigree but not anything like the pedigree of players like Henry, Beckham, Marquez.
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Fernandez is 24 y/o and will probably play in 1 more world cup, he still has time to develope his pedigree and thats why i think this is a bigger signing than Henry.
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Sounders FC,
We just signed one that’s a CM Fernandez can play DM, CM, AM and RM. He’s versatile.
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GStommylee – i know he is versatile, but so is Ljungberg. If we lose Ljungberg then it would seem to me that we would be looking for a superstar type DP and – to me – the best options would be a central mid or a central defender. Fernandez might be versatile but it seems as though his prior coaches think right mid is his best position. If that’s the case – put him out there and find someone else to own the middle.
I think we are good up front. If we can keep Montero and Nkufo as our starters and then use players like Montano, Fucito, Levesque to sub for them ( I’d trade/sell Jaqua right now if I could) then we address our weakness which right now is probably defence. Marshall appears to have lost the plot, Hurtado is injured and while I think Ianni and Parked are doing OK – they are not top quality. I also think a strating midfield of Alonso and a new star DP in the middle with Fernandez on the right and Zakuani on the left and use Montano, Seaman, Evans and possibly Sturgis to spell them is a good plan. On Defence we are now struggling. Missing Leo and having to put in Zach Scott was a HUGE step down so I’m hoping we can lose Marshall, Vagenas, Noonan and Jaqua (none of whom figure into my starters or back-ups and trade them for 2-3 much better players as starters or cover and we are gonna win the league.
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We have plently of RMs but no quality CAMs until now Putting Alvaro RM will not help this team. Sigi says he is box to box and that’s center mid. So past coaches used him as a RM doesn’t mean he can’t be used as a CM.
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We need help in the CM more than the RM right now.
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Whats not to say Fernandez moves to CM, FL10 stays and comes back at RM? Anyone think of that.
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@LCHFC – I think that Philly has the youngest roster in MLS.
If Ljundberg stays and decides to bring it like he did in his first season, then Seattle is sitting pretty. If Ljundberg leaves, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Seattle FO has a replacement waiting. Regardless, Seattle hasn’t exactly been missing Ljundberg in terms of results.
If Seattle does lose Ljundberg and decide to replace him with another DP, I believe they are intelligent enough to realize that they don’t need a pampered superstar as their fanbase is already there. Just give them a good product on the pitch and they will be just as happy regardless of the DPs that they have.
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@neogeek I’m guessing you’re refering to my young core responce. Yea I think Philly does have the youngest roster average in MLS but Seattle still has youth and talent combine. Not to knock Philly but they don’t have a player like Montero, Zakuani, Alonso, Fernandez etc.
Torres and Le Toux (a former sounder) are young and good but thats pretty much all at the moment. Mwanga, McCanerney, are good but like not at the level of everyone else.
Yea I honestly think if Ljungberg was going to leave he would have left by now because if you want out why wait? I think Freddie rejoins the team with a new head (he was playing good this season, results in assist and goals havnt come but thats not always what matters).
I think Freddie, if he does go would have his replacement right behind him and I don’t think it’s Fernandez. I think marketability wise Seattle does need to get another Int superstart because while the DP signings of Nkufo and Fernandez are top notch talent wise they don’t match Henry, Marquez and Beckham and for Seattle to be the face of MLS they need that super star.
They won’t just pay a superstar though they will find a DP, big name that can truely help at CM or in defense. Now just because Seattle signed a young talented guy like Fernandez doesn’t mean like people should be thinking Seattle can get younger european players to come overhere (Fabregas) but the names could be bigger.
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@LCHFC – Seattle definitely appears to set the standard from a youth/talent standpoint.
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@gstommylee – I did not know… Well, so they need to have someone right to sign or it will not have time avaliable.
@LCHFC – That’s why I mentioned Zé Roberto, cuz his contract is almost over in Hamburgo and he fits exacly from what you said. Plus, he isn’t a superstar and don’t cost that much, and he already went to 2 World Cups. The problem is that he is old (35), but would be good to bring experience to the team.
For those who don’t know him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW_-dONGrus
Cheers
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“Alonso is a heck of a player, but when he is gone, the team has problems.”
No crap. Amazing observation from the Brazilian!
I want to hear more about this Ze Roberto fella.
and LCHFC – Mwanga is definitely at the level of our guys, if not farther. He’s being scouted by Euro teams ATM
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@Mike S – Did you mean it or was just make fun with something that everybody knows and I repeat it?
Sometimes I can’t understand the sarcasm in english, that’s why I am asking.
Talking about Zé Roberto, I posted an answer before you, with a Youtube Link but MLSR did not aprove yet.
If you are curious, type Zé Roberto Show – Hamburgo, Santos. He was with Brazil National Squad in WC 1998 and WC 2006. If you watched the WC in 2006, he scored the last goal against Ghana in the 1st round after group stages (sorry, can’t remember the name, just quarter and semi…)
Cheers
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