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UPDATE (1/10): Minnesota United officially signed Osvaldo Alonso on Thursday, with the midfielder going through a waiver process that presumably allowed him to be paid more than the maximum budget charge. Minnesota gave up a second-rounder in the 2020 draft to Orlando City to move up in the waiver order, as well as receiving two fourth-round picks in the 2019 draft. It’s unclear if the Sounders ever made a formal offer.
UPDATE (1/8): Minnesota United’s offer was for $650,000 a year, according to The Athletic. Since that is more than the max budget charge — currently set at $530,000 — MLS is forcing Alonso to go through some sort of allocation process and Minnesota is apparently working out a trade with Orlando City to move into the top spot of whatever that process.
UPDATE (1/7): It appears that there may be something like a bidding war for Osvaldo Alonso’s services, as Minnesota United has reportedly “come over the top” of FC Cincinnati’s initial two-year offer.
The Osvaldo Alonso era of the Seattle Sounders is one step closer to being officially over. FC Cincinnati has reportedly made a “strong” two-year offer to the free agent, according to MLSsoccer.com.
Although Alonso has apparently not made a final decision, the story says FCC’s offer is the best he currently has received and that he’s unlikely to return to the Sounders.
As a free agent who was not offered at least 105 percent of his previous salary — he was making more than $1.1 million last year — the Sounders will not receive any compensation if Alonso leaves. The Sounders also don’t have any ability to make a matching offer that would compel him to remain.
If Alonso leaves, that would officially close the book on the final player remaining from the Sounders’ inaugural MLS campaign. Although he finished the 2018 season reasonably strong, Alonso also battled injuries that limited him to 21 starts and a career-low 1,833 minutes. Combined with his hefty salary, the Sounders made a seemingly rational decision to let Alonso test the free-agent market. This was the risk.