Sounders sign goalkeeper Steve Clark, immediately trade him to Crew

It would appear the Seattle Sounders had several fall-back options in the instance that Michael Gspurning was unwilling to take a pay cut. Not only were they prepared to acquire Stefan Frei via trade -- which they finalized last week -- they were also close to signing Steve Clark, an American goalkeeper who had been playing in Norway for the past four seasons. His club, Hønefoss BK, was relegated at the end of 2013.

The Sounders were able to finalize Clark's signing on Monday, but no longer in need of his services they immediately traded him to the Columbus Crew for a fourth round pick in the 2015 SuperDraft.

While a fourth-round pick for a player who was named to the Tippeligaen's Best XI in 2012 doesn't seem like much of a haul, it was likely a situation in which the Sounders could either except that price or lose him for nothing. The Sounders likely had a discovery claim on Clark, but probably weren't interested in exercising that after acquiring Frei. The Sounders have also re-signed Josh Ford and are expected to bring back Marcus Hahnemann.