La Liga veteran signs with Sounders

In what is shaping up as an active summer, the Seattle Sounders made their second signing of the transfer window. As had been expected for a few days, La Liga veteran Victor Rodriguez was officially announced on Wednesaday. He had been training with the Sounders since Monday, after rumors of his imminent signing surfaced last week.

The Sounders used Targeted Allocation Money to complete the signing, the second such move they’ve made during this window. Right back Kelvin Leerdam was also signed using the same mechanism. It is believed the Sounders still have the ability to sign a Designated Player by using TAM to bring down the cap hit of Osvaldo Alonso.

A product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, Rodriguez, 28, has spent four of the last five seasons in La Liga - though it should be noted his last three teams were relegated. Last year, Sporting de Gijon finished 18th, four points shy of safety; in 2015-16, Getafe was 19th, three points shy of safety; and Elche was relegated for financial reasons in 2014-15, despite finishing 13th overall.

With Gijon, Rodriguez made 15 starts and 28 appearances. He scored a pair of goals and had an assist in La Liga play. He played all across the attacking band of the midfield, earning six starts as a CM, eight as a RM and one as a LM. His most productive La Liga season was 2014-15 with Elche when he scored four goals.