Sounders might have nearly signed 27-year-old Dutch international

Although the Seattle Sounders were relatively quiet in the early-season transfer window -- Brazilian Thomas Bedinelli was the most notable addition -- it would appear they were ready to make a far splashier move. The agent of Dutch midfielder Tjaronn Chery has said his client was presented with a substantial offer from the Sounders, who were apparently ready to pay the almost $3.5 million transfer fee in order to get him.

"Tjaronn has gained experience at the highest level playing for the Nederlandse elftaal (Dutch Men's National Team) and that's where he wants to be. By playing for a club in a strong league like the Bundesliga, Serie A or the Premira Division, he will only get better and stay on the radar for the national team."

- player agent Ersin Akan to Voetbal International (translated by @86Forever)

While Chery might not be a household name, the 27-year-old midfielder is building an impressive resume. Over the last two seasons with mid-table club Groningen, Chery has scored 25 Eredivisie goals. He's also coming off a 17-goal campaign across all competitions and recently made his debut with the Netherlands in their loss to the United States.

The Sounders have not confirmed their interest in Chery, but GM Garth Lagerwey did tell reporters in mid-May that "We went down the road with two different guys that we made contract offers to that didn't work out."

Assuming Chery was one of those players, this would suggest that the long rumored changes to the Designated Player rule are very much in the offing. There's no way a player like Chery wouldn't count as a DP, meaning the league is either poised to add a spot or create a mechanism by which someone like Osvaldo Alonso would no longer count.