The Sounders currently have three Designated Players on the roster: Clint Dempsey, Osvaldo Alonso, and Nicolas Lodeiro. Though it’s possible only one of them will be a DP and/or on the roster by opening kick. The health of Clint Dempsey and the salary of Osvaldo Alonso have a cascading effect on how the roster should be built and when a new DP could be brought in.
With the questions around Dempsey’s health, the team can’t know for sure whether to focus on a player that complements Dempsey’s skillset, or instead seek a player who can replicate those skills.