One of the marks of a good organization is that they don’t allow themselves to get painted into a corner when it comes to transfers. When Derlis González’s move fell through in 2017, the Sounders were still able to sign Victor Rodriguez. If Paolo Hurtado wants to go to Turkey, the Sounders are fine signing Brad Smith. When Bahia wanted more than the Sounders were willing to pay for Gregore, they turned to João Paulo.
Especially during Garth Lagerwey’s tenure as Chief Soccer Officer, the Sounders have shown a willingness to spend without overpaying. With few exceptions, they’ve gotten it right — Rodriguez was an MLS Cup MVP, Smith became a consistent starter, and João Paulo turned into the best deep-lying midfielder in the league.