The Sounders Friday signed Jamaican defender Ashani Fairclough and Dutch midfielder Phillip Lund, both of whom will be added to the roster as soon as the club receives their P-1 visa and international travel clearances. The Sounders also made official the release of Swedish defender Adam Johansson.
Fairclough (FAIR-cluff), 20, made 73 appearances for the University of South Florida from 2009-12, scoring one goal and 10 assists. He served as captain of the 2007-08 Jamaican U17 National Team and was the youngest player on the U20 team. Fairclough joined the Sounders in the 2013 preseason.
“Ashani is very physically gifted,” said head coach Sigi Schmid. “He’s a fast and powerful defender and has great potential.”
Lund, 23, played four seasons in Denmark, most recently with second division FC Fyn. He began his career in 2008 with his hometown club, Vejle Boldklub of the first division. He later played for Kolding FC on loan before joining Fyn in 2011. Lund was also a member of the U19 Danish National Team. He also joined Sounders FC in the 2013 preseason.
“Phillip is a hard worker who can play multiple positions,” said Sporting Director Chris Henderson. “His fitness is good, his technique is good, and he looks to shoot when he gets opportunities.”
The Sounders released Johansson in what amounts to a salary-cap move.
“At the end of the day, the recognition is that it’s beneficial for him as well, especially with our thinking that once Shalrie (Joseph) gets into the lineup, we might push Brad (Evans) back there (to Johansson’s position),” Schmid said.
“Then it becomes a very competitive position for him back there as well. So for him to get into the World Cup team in 2014, to continue to be part of the qualifiers – like he was originally, up for this round of qualifiers and then because he hadn’t played, due to the injury, not for any other reason – he got dropped from the team.
“So if he’s not getting regular minutes, then that’s going to hurt him. This is a little bit similar to what Fredy (Montero has done) trying to make that (Colombia) national team.”
The Sounders play their first road match at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at San Jose’s Buck Shaw Stadium. It will be televised on KING5.
