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UPDATE (10:34 a.m.): Just got word from a source that although negotiations are advanced that personal terms have not yet been finalized. - Niko Moreno
The pursuit of Paolo Hurtado may be nearing completion. The Record, one of Portugal’s biggest newspapers, is reporting that Vitoria Guimarães and the Seattle Sounders have agreed to a transfer fee of €1.5 million. Hurtado was apparently supposed to report to preseason today after being given time off due to his participation in the World Cup, but will instead head to Seattle to finalize contract terms.
A best-case scenario would likely involve Hurtado being officially announced on Thursday, obtaining his visa next week and being eligible to play when the Sounders visit Minnesota United on Aug. 4. Hurtado will likely be the Sounders’ final acquisition before the transfer window closes on Aug. 8.
Although the transfer fee would normally put Hurtado out of TAM range, the Sounders will likely defer some of the payment to next season. At that point, he’d likely become a Designated Player, effectively filling the spot currently occupied by Clint Dempsey.