Photo by Nick Turchiaro/ISIphotos.com
The Seattle Sounders made a key move to keep one of their core players around for a while, signing holding midfielder Osvaldo Alonso to a contract extension that will keep him with Seattle through the 2014 season.
Alonso, who was already signed through the end of next season, was voted the Sounders' team MVP last season and enters his third with Seattle. The anchor of the Sounders' midfield even though he has had to overcome injuries the past two seasons, Alonso has been instrumental to the club's success in back-to-back winning seasons and is known for his tenacity in one-on-one battles for the ball.
After Alonso came back from missing seven games with an injury last season, Seattle finished 2010 with a 9-2-2 record with him in the lineup.
"I am very pleased with the attention I have been given by the club, and I appreciate the confidence that Adrian (Hanauer) and Sigi (Schmid) have shown in me," said Alonso in a statement from the club.
Here are a few more items from around the league:
SAN JOSE STADIUM PROGRESS
The site for the future San Jose Earthquakes soccer specific stadium is set to be cleared, making the club's dream of a new park one step closer.
The industrial building that currently stands at the stadium site will begin to be destructed on March 3, and according to SJEarthquakes.com, the process will take 12 weeks to complete. The club hopes to have a new stadium built and ready for some of the 2012 season, but it appears that worst-case, the stadium should be set to open in time for the 2013 campaign.
CREW SIGNS DRAFT PICKS
The Columbus Crew agreed to terms with its four 2011 MLS SuperDraft picks, officially adding Rich Balchan, Justin Meram, Cole Grossman and Bernardo Anor to the team's roster.
Balchan was the team's first selection (12th overall), and the club traded Steven Lenhart to San Jose to get back into the first round to select Meram, who finished the last college soccer season as one of the hottest players in the country.
Grossman was a four-year standout at Duke and was taken in the second round, while Anor, a talented attacking threat out of South Florida, was selected in the third round.
CHIVAS UNVEILS JERSEY
Chivas USA unveiled its 2011 jersey with new sponsor Corona Extra labelling the front of both the striped red-and-white and solid navy blue kits.
A photo of the new look can be found here.
D.C. WAIVES JAMES, MAKES TRADE WITH L.A.
D.C. United waived defender Julius James, clearing the path to trade his vacated international roster spot to the Los Angeles Galaxy in exchange for allocation money.
James, a Trinidad and Tobago international, played in 22 league games last season in central defense.
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What do you think about Alonso's extension? Thrilled about the pending San Jose stadium? Which Crew rookie do you see having the biggest impact this season? What do you think about Chivas' new jersey? What's your reaction to James being waived and the D.C.-L.A. trade?
Share your thoughts below.