Mired in a four-game losing streak, Seattle Sounders FC have made a move they hope will kickstart their slumping attack.
On Tuesday, the Sounders announced the signing of attacking midfielder Andreas Ivanschitz, a 31-year-old Austrian international that comes to Seattle from Spanish club Levante. He will be added to Sounders FC's roster pending receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate.
"Andreas is a skilled and dynamic player that has proven his abilities in some of Europe's top domestic leagues and at the international level,” Sounders FC general manager and president of soccer Garth Lagerwey said. "We're excited to bring him to Seattle and help him integrate into our attack as we head toward the stretch run of our season."
Ivanschitz joins Seattle following 15 seasons in Europe, including the last six campaigns in Spain's La Liga and the German Bundesliga, amassing 380 appearances and 62 goals throughout his professional career. The Eisenstadt, Austria native began his career with Austrian power Rapid Vienna from 2000-2005, earning 2003 Austrian Footballer of the Year honors and leading Rapid to the 2004-2005 Austrian Bundesliga title.
He spent three seasons with Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos from 2006-2009 before moving to Bundesliga side Mainz, where he scored 22 times in 104 appearances. Ivanschitz moved to La Liga club Levante in 2013, where he's spent the last two seasons.
"Andreas has the technical ability to help break down teams with his passing and movement in the attacking third," Sounders FC sporting director Chris Henderson said. "We've followed Andreas for a while now, and he's a smart player who has played in top leagues all over Europe."
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Known for his abilities as a set-piece specialist, Ivanschitz has 69 career caps for the Austrian national team, where he has worn the No. 10 shirt and recorded 12 international goals. He captained Austria for the first time when he was only 19 years old. No stranger to major competitions, he was capped three times in the 2008 European Championship for Austria in addition to earning 14 appearances in UEFA Champions League play with Rapid Vienna and Panathinaikos.
"Andreas is a player who is creative in the attack and dangerous on set pieces, and I'm looking forward to seeing what he can contribute to the group," Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid said. "As we head into the final months of our season and begin CONCACAF Champions League play, we welcome Andreas' experience and poise at this critical time of year."
