Marcus Hahnemann Acquired By Sounders FC

After a period of time that came close to retirement the former Seattle Sounders keeper is a Sounder once more. The club managed to negotiate through the MLS Allocation process by trading a conditional pick to Toronto FC. Hahnemann will resume training to game shape next week while the team travels to Honduras. He says it will "take time" to get back to full playing shape.

Hahnemann shared via team release that ending his long career with the Sounders was a goal he thought would not come true. "Somehow, it all just sort of all came to work," Hahnemann explained. "I’m still kind of shocked it all happened because I had resigned myself that it wasn’t going to happen. This is where I started my career and I wanted to finish here."

Marcus Hahnemann is one of the six faces on the Decades of Dominance tifo. A legend in his own right his first time as a Sounders player (1994) was in the same year he first got a look with the United States senior side. In 1995 he won his first title as a pro, as a Sounder. He would go on to play for the Colorado Rapids and later several clubs in England with a majority of his time at Reading.

Reports from England's Sky Sports are that the deal is for the remainder of this year with an option for 2013.

Full release follows

Sounders FC Acquires Marcus Hahnemann

RENTON, Wash. - Seattle Sounders FC has acquired U.S. international goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann via allocation, the club announced today. Seattle acquired the No. 1 selection in Major League Soccer's allocation process from Toronto FC in exchange for a conditional draft pick. Hahnemann will be added to the roster pending receipt of his International Transfer Clearance.

"Adding Marcus for the final stretch gives us experience and quality on and off the field to supplement our current core of goalkeepers," said Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid.

Hahnemann, 40, returns to MLS after 13 years and over 300 appearances in the English Premier League for Fulham FC, Reading FC, Wolverhampton and Everton FC. He also has nine caps for the U.S. National Team and was a member of the 2006 and 2010 World Cup teams.

"This is where I started my career and I wanted to finish here," said Hahnemann. "This is what we've always dreamed would happen in Seattle, and what I always wanted when I was here."

Hahnemann began his MLS career in 1997 with the Colorado Rapids. He played three seasons with Colorado, posting a 39-25 record in 66 appearances, before joining Fulham in 1999. Hahnemann then moved to Reading where he became a mainstay for The Royals, making over 250 appearances from 2002-2009 and helping the club gain promotion to the EPL in 2005-06. Hahnemann also played for Wolverhampton from 2009-11, and most recently played with Everton from 2011-12.

The Seattle native began his professional career for the A-League Sounders in 1994 after a prolific career for Seattle Pacific University, where he was a three-time All-American and helped SPU to the 1993 Division II National Championship. The six-foot-three goalkeeper was an All-Star in his rookie year and led the Sounders to the A-League title in 1996.

Transaction: Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) - Acquired goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.



MARCUS HAHNEMANN
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-3
Weight: 220
Birthdate: 6/15/1972
Place of Birth: Seattle, Washington
Hometown (Citizenship): Seattle, Washington (USA)
Last Club: Everton FC (England, 2011-12)
Previous Clubs: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (England, 2009-11), Reading FC (England, 2002-09), Fullham FC (England, 1999-02), Colorado Rapids (USA, 1997-99), Seattle Sounders (USA, 1994-96).