SEATTLE – Could the Seattle Sounders trade Osvaldo Alonso?
It’s a question that would have seemed ludicrous had it been asked at any point during the last seven seasons. But as the Sounders look to regroup following another disappointing postseason exit, it now appears as though the team is at least considering the possibility.
The speculation started with a Sports Illustrated report on Nov. 12 that said the Sounders were ‘actively shopping’ their star midfielder.
Then, when he was asked directly about the rumors during a Q&A at the club’s end-of-season business meeting for season-ticket holders last week, general manager Garth Lagerwey indicated that he was seeing what offers were out there.
“I would not being doing my job if I didn’t take questions and inquiries about any player on our team,” Lagerwey said. “Our job as general managers is to try to make the group better any way we can. We’d be derelict in our duty if we weren’t having conversations and exploring any way we could to do that.”
For the Sounders, trading Alonso would mean parting ways with one of the most popular players in franchise history.
The 30-year-old Cuban has been with the club since its 2009 expansion season, has established himself as a fan-favorite, and is one of the most respected members of the team. He’s also aguably one of the best two-way midfielders in MLS, proving more than capable as both a bruising defender and a key facilitator out of Seattle’s midfield.
But he has been dogged by health concerns and was largely absent from Seattle’s last two postseason runs due to injuries. Combine those concerns with his hefty price tag and the Sounders’ stated desire to field a more youthful lineup next year, and a change of scenery for Alonso suddenly doesn’t sound as ridiculous as it might have in previous years.
Speaking with reporters in Seattle on Wednesday, Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid also addressed the rumors surrounding Alonso’s status.
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“Ozzie is in the same situation as a number of different players in the sense that sometimes your hands are tied in what you can do,” Schmid said. “You have to listen to what other teams say. … At this time, I couldn’t say which way it’s going to go.”
Schmid did say that his hope is for Alonso to return to Seattle for another MLS Cup run next year and, hopefully, stay healthy for a full season.
“Ozzie has been a great soldier for this club and he’s a very important member of this team,” Schmid said. “My biggest thing is that I want Ozzie to return to full health and play a complete season and be available for us in the playoffs. That’s hurt us the last couple of years.”
