TUKWILA, Wash. -- The Seattle Sounders have traded designated player Alvaro Fernandez to the Chicago Fire for allocation money, clearing the way for the potential signing of German midfielder Christian Tiffert.
Seattle traded Fernandez on Friday afternoon after acknowledging earlier that the club was in negotiations with Tiffert, who would be joining the Major League Soccer team on a transfer from Kaiserslautern.
Agent Richard Motzkin of Wasserman Media Group posted on Twitter on Friday that agency client Tiffert had signed with Seattle as a designated player. That meant something needed to be done with one of Seattle's three designated players and Fernandez was the choice to be moved.
"We would like to thank Alvaro for his contributions to the club over the last two years and wish him well in the next chapter of his career with the Fire," said Owner and General Manager Adrian Hanauer.
Fernandez, 26, joined Sounders FC midway through the 2010 season. In his two and a half seasons in MLS, Fernandez has scored 13 goals with three assists in 55 matches (starting 38). He was second on the club with nine goals in 2011 and has scored twice in the 2012 campaign. He added three goals and five assists in CONCACAF Champions League play, including the winner in Seattle's historic win at CF Monterrey on August 23, 2011. Overall, Fernandez scored 16 goals and 10 assists in all competitions for Sounders FC.
Fernandez has been capped 11 times by Uruguay and made four appearances in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He began his professional career in Uruguay with Atenas in 2006 and joined Montevideo Wanderers a year later. He also played for Mexico's Puebla, Uruguay's Nacional, Portugal's Vitoria Setubal and on loan with Chile's Universidad before signing with MLS in the summer of 2010.
