The Seattle Sounders have declined their 2014 contract option for incumbent starting goalkeeper Michael Gspurning, the team confirmed to MLSsoccer.com on Monday, making the big Austrian a free agent.
Gspurning, who joined the team ahead of the 2012 season, does not meet the criteria for entry into this week's Re-Entry Draft Stage 1, or next week's Stage 2. Hence, he is free to negotiate a new contract with another team either in MLS, or in another league.
The 32-year-old had started all 49 of his regular-season appearances over the last two years, as well as all six playoff appearances. He is second in team history in virtually every major statistical category behind Kasey Keller, with the exception of playoff wins.
Gspurning was also the man between the pipes for three of Seattle's four all-time playoff wins, as well as their only series win in 2012 against Real Salt Lake.
However, he was shaky on the tail end of 2013, conceding nine total goals in back-to-back blowout losses to Colorado and Vancouver in October, then received a red card for handling the ball outside the box in a Knockout Round playoff victory over the Rapids.
No. 2 'keeper Marcus Hahnemann is out of contract as well, but tweeted last month that he would return in 2014. The Seattle native was not among the list of players made available for this month's Re-Entry Process.
