Sounders receive $250k GAM for international roster spot

Fresh off freeing up an international roster spot by trading Brad Smith to D.C. United, the Seattle Sounders quickly turned around and acquired an additional $250,000 in General Allocation Money from FC Dallas for that international roster spot. Combined together, the Sounders were effectively able to turn Brad Smith into $1 million in GAM and about $1.6 million in added spending capacity after clearing his salary off their books.

The trade leaves the Sounders with one open international roster spot, with the likelihood that they’ll open another if João Paulo’s green-card application is approved. He is currently in Brazil awaiting a decision on that application.

Prior to the two moves, the Sounders probably needed about $400,000 in additional allocation money beyond what all teams get, and had limited flexibility to make further signings. Not only did they already have 28 players signed to first-team contracts, they were maxed out on both the salary cap and the allocation money they needed to spend in order to be cap compliant, according to a source with knowledge of the team’s cap situation. That source indicated that the Sounders were also likely to be the hole for 2023.

The newfound flexibility opens up the potential to make an impact signing or two now or in the summer, while also setting them up reasonably well for 2023.