Kim Kee-hee will be back with the Seattle Sounders in 2026, the centerback announced on Wednesday. The Sounders had reportedly declined their option on Kim for next season, but it appears the two sides were able to quickly come to terms on a new contract.
Kim rejoined the Sounders late in preseason this year, engineering an exit from Korean side Ulsan HD in hopes of returning to MLS, where he had previously played in 2018-19.
Although it took a little longer than everyone had hoped for Kim to get back into playing shape and he battled a persistent calf injury, he was eventually able to play more than 1,200 minutes with 12 starts and 21 appearances across all competitions. The Sounders went 8-2-2 in his starts. When Kim was on the field, the Sounders were nearly half-a-goal better per game than when he was off the pitch.
