Sounders

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As has been expected for a few weeks now, Sounders FC announced Saturday that it has parted way with midfielder Christian Tiffert.

The buyout of his contract opens up a designated player slot on the roster, presumably for Levante UD forward Obafemi Martins, who Seattle has publicly been after for quite a while.

Tiffert had the shortest tenure of any Sounders DP at  seven months and six days. The previous shortest was Blaise Nkufo was one year and 11 days (though he only joined the team several months after his signing and was only active for seven months and 26 days).

The move means Seattle is now without its top-paid forward (Fredy Montero, loaned to Colombia’s Millonarios for 2013), midfielder (Tiffert) and defender Jeff Parke (traded to Philadelphia) from last season.

Tiffert hadn’t been with the Sounders the past several weeks in preseason training camp, and coach Sigi Schmid and GM Adrian Hanauer indicated multiple times the team was weighing its options — specifically a contract buyout. Expect more comment from them later today, but the official team blog on SoundersFC.com explained the team’s depth in midfield made Tiffert “an expendable piece.”

According to this report, Tiffert will apparently return to Germany and try to find a new team over the summer.

Midfielders Mauro Rosales and Shalrie Joseph are Seattle’s two current DPs at the start of the season.

The Sounders currently have four of seven international roster spots filled (one was traded to Montreal in the Lamar Neagle trade): Adam Johansson, Mario Martinez, Andy Rose, Djimi Traore

What do you make of the news?

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Sounders FC’s DP history

Freddie Ljungberg (signed on Oct. 28, 2008 … traded to Chicago on July 30, 2010)
Blaise Nkufo (signed March 4, 2010, arrived July 17, 2010, bought out Mar. 15, 2011)
Alvaro Fernandez (signed July 29, 2010, traded to Chicago on July 27, 2012)
Fredy Montero (re-signed as DP on Dec. 1, 2010 … loan to Millonarios on Jan. 21, 2013)
Christian Tiffert (signed on July 27, 2012, bought out Mar. 2, 2013)
Mauro Rosales (re-signed on Dec. 13, 2011, classified as DP before 2012 season … current)
Shalrie Joseph (acquired on Feb. 19, 2013 … current)

Days under contract as a DP (as of March 2 for active players*)

Fredy Montero: 2 years, 1 month, 20 days
Alvaro Fernandez: 1 year, 11 months, 28 days
Freddie Ljungberg: 1 year, 9 months, 2 days
*Mauro Rosales: 1 year, 2 months, 20 days
Blaise Nkufo: 1 year, 0 months, 11 days (only active 7 months, 26 days)
Christian Tiffert: 7 months, 6 days
*Shalrie Joseph: 14 days

Games, production under contract as a DP

Fredy Montero: 56 games, 54 starts, 22 goals, 17 assists, 4570 minutes
Alvaro Fernandez: 55 games, 38 starts, 13 goals, 3 assists, 3244 minutes
Freddie Ljungberg: 37 games, 35 starts, 2 goals, 12 assists, 3068 minutes
Mauro Rosales: 27 games, 25 starts, 3 goals, 13 assists, 2031 minutes
Christian Tiffert: 12 games, 11 starts, 0 goals, 3 assists, 978 minutes
Blaise Nkufo: 11 games, 11 starts, 5 goals, 0 assists, 931 minutes
Shalrie Joseph: N/A