In yet another good bit of injury news for the Seattle Sounders, striker O'Brian White has been removed from the disabled list and is eligible to play as soon as Saturday. While the team has not said when he will be available for action and it's highly unlikely that he's anywhere close to 90 minute fit, White's inclusion in the 18 against the Colorado Rapids would not be shocking by any means though next Wednesday's friendly against Manchester United seems a more likely target for return to game action.
White struggled to make an impact early in the season but was beginning to become one of the Sunders more consistent threats when he was forced to undergo emergency surgery to remove a blood clot shortly after the Sounders 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids on April 22nd. The extent of time that White missed was less an issue of recovery time from the surgery and more due to the use of blood thinners to prevent further clotting and an inability to diagnose and treat the underlying condition.
Considering that there were some concerns about whether White would be able to return this season (or in some cases whether he would be able to return to playing at all) his return is fantastic news for a Sounders team whose schedule is about to get significantly more congested with Concacaf Champions League play about to begin. While the Sounders are widely rumored to be prepared to use their final Designated Player slot on a forward during the upcoming transfer window, the Sounders will need quality depth at the striker position if they hope to make yet another US Open Cup run and advance past the group stage of CCL play.