Reports are circulating that Sounders midfielder Lamar Neagle will be traded to D.C. United, according to MLSsoccer.com’s Pablo Maurer. Neagle, who scored seven goals the past season across all competitions, seemingly fell out of favor with the organization after a poor run of form, failing to make the 18-man roster for Seattle’s Western Conference semifinal matches against FC Dallas.
The story surfaced in an unusual fashion. Mike Standish, a worker at an advertising agency based in Seattle, reportedly spoke with Neagle’s father-in-law while the latter was driving a forklift Saturday morning in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood.
Just ran into a man who said the Sounders traded his son-in-law, Lamar Neagle, to DC United last week. #ebfg
— Mike Standish (@MikeStandish) November 28, 2015
Allegedly, Standish was told that Neagle was “pissed” that he had been traded to D.C. United. Neagle, born in Tacoma, was a star at Thomas Jefferson High School in Federal way.
Now, Maurer wrote that Standish’s initial report was correct.
Confirming @MikeStandish‘s rumor this wknd: Lamar Neagle is indeed headed to #DCU. Still diggin for terms, but it’s a done deal. #SoundersFC
— Pablo Maurer (@MLSist) December 1, 2015
The club declined to comment, but did say that it expected to release a roster statement regarding players in “the next few days.”
The move makes sense from D.C.’s perspective. The Red and Black may be preparing to trade Chris Pontius, who fulfills a role similar to Neagle, to the Philadelphia Union during the transfer window.
While the trade window is not yet officially open, it is likely that perceptions of under-performance from Neagle, combined with his relatively high salary (a minimum of $165,000 annually) will spell an end to the 28-year-old’s time with the Sounders.
