Seattle Sounders FC announced Tuesday the signing of veteran defender Marc Burch, whom the franchise selected during the MLS re-entry process stage 2 draft Dec. 12. Per Major League Soccer and Sounders FC policy, no terms of Burch’s contract were disclosed.
Burch, 27, spent the past five seasons with D.C. United.
“We are happy to have Marc signed,” said Sigi Schmid, Sounders FC head coach. “He will be a welcome addition to an already deep team.”
“I’m excited to take another step forward in my career and to play again for Sigi in Seattle,” Burch said. “Seattle has made an impact during its short history since coming into the league. I’ve always respected the way the Sounders played and I just want to help push them further.
“The Sounders have done well in their first few seasons, making the playoffs and winning the Open Cup. I would like to help them take that next step, to go further in the Champions League and the MLS playoffs. I believe they have what it takes to win an MLS Cup and hopefully I can help them achieve that.”
A six-year MLS veteran, Burch made 81 starts in 103 regular-season appearances. He played in 17 games, starting 11, in 2011. He has three career goals and 10 assists.
Once a standout at Maryland, Burch was drafted by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the second round of the 2006 SuperDraft, and was traded to Columbus later that season, where he first played for Schmid. Columbus swapped Burch to D.C. United in 2007.
Seattle Sounders FC Off-season News/Transactions
- Nov. 23: Lost defender James Riley to the Montreal Impact in the MLS expansion draft. Riley came to the Sounders in the 2008 expansion draft from the San Jose Earthquakes. After his selection, the Impact traded Riley to Chivas USA.
- Nov. 23: Accepted the resignation of lead broadcaster Arlo White, who took a position with NBC as its lead announcer on MLS coverage.
- Nov. 24: Traded defender Tyson Wahl to the Montreal Impact in exchange for allocation money. Wahl made 39 appearances for the Sounders in three seasons after coming to Seattle in the 2008 expansion draft from Kansas City, where he played three seasons.
- Dec. 2: Announced that defender Taylor Graham, a seven-year MLS veteran, and goalkeeper Terry Boss both retired. They had been members of the Sounders since 2009.
- Dec. 6: Announced that the club would kick off its fourth season in MLS on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at home; time, opponent, and national broadcast information to be announced.
- Dec. 7: Signed Austrian goalkeeper Michael Gspurning as a replacement for Kasey Keller. Gspurning, 30, has been capped three times by Austria and played the past four seasons for Skoda Xanthi of Greece’s top flight.
- Dec. 12: Selected D Marc Burch from D.C. United in the MLS re-entry process stage 2 draft.
- Dec. 14: signed Argentine midfielder Mauro Rosales to a two-year contract, announced at the club’s annual business meeting with season-ticket holders. Rosales, 30, set the club record with 13 assists in 26 league matches, ranking third in MLS. He also scored five goals.
- Dec. 29: Signed Swedish defender Adam Johansson to a multi-year contract.
- Jan. 3: Signed Burch, most recently of D.C. United, to a contract.
