One of the biggest question marks going into the Sounders season is their defense. Who will start? Who will step up and be the defensive captain aside from Kasey Keller?
The Sounders helped to answer those questions by officially announcing the signing of Colombian defender Jhon Hurtado yesterday. Though he has been with the club since their trip to Argentina, he had not been handed an official contract until now. Hurtado will wear number 34 and is a potential starter at center back for opening day.
To Continue...
With the signing, Seattle now has an internationally known commodity in defense.
Hurtado,24, has played his professional football in Colombia thus far, but went on trial with Italian giants AC Milan in January. Playing alongside stars such as Kaka, Pato, and Ronaldinho, Hurtado was not offered a contract with the Serie A legends, but the mere fact he was of interest to them should make Sounders fans excited.
Hurtado and Sounders striker Fredy Montero (who was also officially added to the roster yesterday) have been reunited in Seattle after playing for Deportivo Cali in Colombia last year. While Montero was Cali’s primary goal-scorer, Hurtado was the team’s defensive stopper.
At 6-foot, 183 pounds, Hurtado is not necessarily a physically imposing defender, but he isn’t small, either. A good man-to-man marker with excellent speed, Hurtado may be the perfect cover for Tyrone Marshall in defense.
Marshall’s speed was questioned last year, and at 34, he may need a younger, faster partner in central defense to help him close down attackers. Enter Hurtado, ten years younger than Marshall with the speed and tackling ability required in case Marshall falters.
Sigi Schmid will be pleased that Hurtado has been signed. Even though it seemed a foregone conclusion, the fact that he has put pen to paper creates better defensive depth and adds even more experience to a back line that already boasts Keller and Marshall, a combined 73 years old.
It is not a foregone conclusion that Hurtado will start from the get-go for Seattle, but he stands a good chance of being handed a starting berth against New York on Thursday. Schmid will be choosing from the likes of Patrick Ianni, Tyson Wahl, Evan Brown, James Riley, Marshall, Hurtado, and recently signed Zach Scott for opening day. With Taylor Graham still sidelined, Schmid still has seven defenders to choose from.
A likely starting defensive lineup could include Ianni, Marshall, Hurtado and Wahl, but it’s anyone’s guess until Schmid announces his starting lineup to face New York. In any case, the signing of Hurtado means good defensive cover for Seattle.
Reach Alden Walcon at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
