Seattle Sounders Announce Fredy Montero As Third Designated Player

The Seattle Sounders made official what's long been speculated: Fredy Montero is the team's third designated player, joining Blaise Nkufo and Alvaro Fernandez. Montero has been with the Sounders since the team joined the MLS ranks, dazzling fans with his skill and scoring prowess along the way. The announcement of a contract extension, and use of the designated player tag, is great news for Sounders' fans and even better news for Montero's wallet.

Jeremiah Oshan, who does a fantastic job covering the Sounders at SB Nation's Sounder At Heart, tweeted the "officially official" news this morning.

Montero has been a star for the Sounders, scoring 22 goals and dishing out eight assists in two season with the team. Originally on loan from Deportivo Cali, Montero became a cornerstone in Seattle's early MLS success, scoring the first goal in franchise history in the team's opener against the New York Red Bulls in 2009.

Seattle Sounders To Make Player Announcement At Noon On Wednesday: Will It Be Fredy Montero As DP?

The Seattle Sounders have let the world know that there will be a "Special Player Announcement" tomorrow at noon Pacific time. Obviously, this set tongues buzzing, with a debate raging over whether the announcement would be Kasey Keller's re-signing or the news that Fredy Montero had re-committed. King 5 News now tells us that they're positive:

Fredy Montero has re-signed with the #Sounders. He will likely be a designated player.

Will this be the last word in the saga? From where does King 5 get their news? I'm sure it's from a much higher source than I, but I'd love to see more on the Montero deal. Of course, should this truly be the announcement Sounders fans are waiting for, all details will be made clear once noon tomorrow rolls around.

Because no team picked up Blaise Nkufo in the MLS expansion draft, Seattle still have both of their designated player slots full. The Sounders will have to pay a fee to the league in order to sign Montero as a DP-but in order to give him the salary which he deserves, paying such a fee is essential. Otherwise, Seattle risks losing the Columbian forward, most probably to Europe.