What will surely be a short and busy offseason for the Seattle Sounders began last Tuesday as the Rave Green lost goalkeeper Tyler Miller to Los Angeles FC in the 2017 MLS Expansion draft. The Bob Bradley led expansion club will begin to play in 2018 and wasted no time in making Miller their number one pick.
The Sounders have six weeks before players return to begin training for the CONCACAF Champions League Tournament. The tournament is similar to the European version where qualification is based on domestic league success. Winners from Champions League Tournaments will qualify for the FIFA World Club Cup.
Seattle qualified for the tournament by winning the 2016 MLS Cup. The tournaments runs from February to April. Seattle is joined by 2016 MLS Cup runners-up and Canadian Cup winners Toronto FC, 2016 Eastern Conference Champions the New York Red Bulls, 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and Supporters’ Shield winners FC Dallas and 2016 Supporters’ Shield runners-up the Colorado Rapids.
Miller, 24, made eight appearances for Sounders FC across all competitions since being drafted in the second round (33rd overall) in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. The Northwestern alum most recently recorded a shutout in Seattle’s 2-0 win over Houston in the first leg of the Western Conference Championship in place for the injured Stefan Frei.
Miller has two career MLS regular-season appearances, a 4-3 win over D.C. United on July 19, 2017, and a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake on March 12, 2016. Miller had five starts in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play and 35 appearances for Sounders FC 2 dating back to 2015, including 22 this past season.
The Sounders FC exercised options eleven players after Saturdays 2-0 MLS Cup loss to Toronto FC. The eleven players were
Goalkeepers Stefan Frei and Tyler Miller, defenders Tony Alfaro, Oniel Fisher, Chad Marshall and Román Torres, midfielders Jordy Delem, Aaron Kovar, Zach Mathers and Cristian Roldan, in addition, to forward Will Bruin.
Eleven players were already under contract for 2018, including defenders Kelvin Leerdam and Nouhou, midfielders Osvaldo Alonso, Nicolás Lodeiro, Victor Rodríguez, Harry Shipp, Gustav Svensson and Henry Wingo, as well as forwards Seyi Adekoya, Clint Dempsey and Jordan Morris.
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