TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
The Seattle Sounders picked goalkeeper Andrew Thomas from Stanford University off waivers, through a process specifically designed for collegiate players whose soccer seasons were delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This season, Thomas had a 0.69 goals against average with Stanford and kept four clean sheets. He capped off his final season at the collegiate level by winning the Pac-12 Championship, the third of his time with the Cardinal. Overall, he had 23 total shutouts in 55 games with Stanford.
The Sounders are currently without their starting goalkeeper, standout veteran Stefan Frei, who suffered a sprained knee in the team's 1-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on May 12 that is expected to sideline him for 4-6 weeks. Backup Stefan Cleveland started Seattle's last match, a 2-0 victory over LAFC, while veteran Spencer Richey and homegrown Trey Muse (currently on loan with USL Championship side San Diego Loyal) are also on the club's first-team roster.
"After a strong career at Stanford, we see Andrew as a goalkeeper that we think can develop and help us out down the road," Sounders general manager Garth Lagerwey said in a club statement. "We’re always on the lookout to add talented players to our roster, so I’m looking forward to watching Andrew get to work with Tom Dutra and our existing goalkeepers."
Before his time with Stanford, Thomas was a member of the Watford FC academy in England. Eligible to represent the United States, England, and Russia, the goalkeeper has also been a part of United States U-23 national team camps.
As the COVID-19 pandemic pushed college soccer from its usual fall schedule to the spring, MLS created a waiver process for players who opted to play the spring college soccer season. Players selected off waivers will be available to the teams that select them immediately.
The waiver process ends Monday, May 24.
