TUKWILA, Wash. – It’s been a whirlwind few days for newly acquired Seattle Sounders forward Luis Silva.
The 30-year-old had been playing for FC Honka in Finland when he heard rumblings that the Sounders were interested in bringing him back to MLS, where he’s spent the majority of his professional career during stints with Toronto FC, DC United and twice with Real Salt Lake.
The deal came together quickly after that, with Silva joining Argentine midfielder Emanuel Cecchini as one of two new acquisitions for Seattle arriving just ahead of the end of the summer transfer window. After his first training session with the Sounders on Friday, Silva said the move to Seattle puts him in an ideal scenario, returning him to a league he knows well and putting him closer to his family currently based in Utah.
“I think it happened in a matter of two or three days, max,” Silva said. “I just heard there was some interest and obviously with me being from California and now having my family in Utah, I think it was a pretty easy decision to be closer to home. Obviously, for this club, it’s a huge club and to be a part of it is amazing.”
Silva has 157 career MLS games under his belt and said he still kept tabs on the league while he was abroad. As for his skillset, he brings some necessary depth to a position where the Sounders have been stretched thin since losing Will Bruin to a torn ACL earlier this season.
“Seattle’s always one of my favorite places to play just because of the fan base,” Silva said. “They always show up, they always support their team. Now that I’m a part of it, it’s something really special. It feels amazing. I’m ready to go out there and help the team out.
“I’ve [played in MLS] for a while, I know how teams play, so I can definitely bring that scoring mentality,” he added. “But I’m always looking for the best option, to pass, to assist my teammates and make other people look better. So, hopefully that shows in the games.”
In the short term, the next goal for Silva is simply getting up to speed with his new teammates on the training ground and adapting to his new surroundings. He was still adjusting from the 10-hour difference on Friday, but Sounders Head Coach Brian Schmetzer said he’s hoping Silva will be ready to take the field as soon as Wednesday, when Seattle will be taking on his former club Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium.
“He flew in from Finland, it was a long flight, so he had a partial training today,” Schmetzer said. “But we’ll get him up on the horse. He’s playing against his former club here very soon, he might feature in that, so that’ll keep him motivated.”
The Sounders host the New England Revolution at CenturyLink Field on Saturday (1:00 p.m. PT; JOEtv, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360AM | TICKETS).
