TUKWILA, Wash. – Another day, another rumor in the ongoing transfer saga surrounding DeAndre Yedlin.
Multiple reports have linked the Seattle Sounders’ star defender to an overseas move since a surprising standout performance for the US national team in the 2014 World Cup. Now, new information is surfacing saying that Yedlin could potentially command one of the highest transfer fees in the history of MLS from one of the handful of clubs reportedly interested in his services.
Yedlin has been predictably non-committal when discussing the rumors with the media, saying that he’s leaving the business side to his representatives and that his focus is on Seattle and winning MLS Cup this season.
“That’s all up to my agents,” Yedlin told reporters after returning to Seattle from Brazil. “They’re dealing with all of that right now. Honestly, I’m not really in the loop with that. ...They just want me to focus on Seattle, and that’s what I’m going to do right now.”
Yedlin is from the Seattle area and has said that he enjoys playing at home in a league that has undeniably increased its quality.
Nonetheless, the allure of pushing himself to the level of clubs like AS Roma, Liverpool and Olympique Lyonnais is sure to be tempting for Yedlin, who has also said that playing in Europe has been a goal of his since he was a child.
Any transfer of Yedlin would be a blow to the Sounders on the field, who would lose one of the best up-and-coming young players in MLS. But player transfers do have financial incentives for clubs that can help offset the loss of the on-field production, leaving the Sounders with an interesting dilemma going forward.
“When a player transfers you end up getting allocation money,” said Seattle head coach Sigi Schmid while discussing Yedlin’s status with reporters. “Above a certain amount there’s also money that then goes towards a use you can have for the club, whether that is to do things for your academy, build infrastructure, build facilities, you can use that money as you want.”
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Schmid also said that teams have to consider what is best for the development of players when making decisions regarding potential transfers.
“At the end of the day you want to do what’s best for the players and help the players continue to grow and advance,” Schmid said. “We’re a club that wants to win and wants to succeed, but I also think that success is predicated on doing what’s best for your players.”
