The Sounders announced a big signing Friday, finalizing a deal to bring Brazilian midfielder Joao Paulo to Seattle as the third designated player on the roster.
Paulo, 28, has spent the past decade as a professional player in Brazil with stops in the country’s top Serie A league. Paulo played the past three seasons with Botafogo, where he made 36 league appearances and scored three goals in 2019.
“Joao is a tactically excellent player who solves problems on the pitch, while his passing and set-piece service will help us be even more goal dangerous,” said Chris Henderson, Sounders sporting director and vice president of soccer, in a news release.