SEATTLE, WASH. – Sounders FC today announced that it has acquired $50,000 of General Allocation Money (GAM) from Columbus Crew SC in exchange for defender Waylon Francis. Francis returns to Columbus, where he played from 2014-2017, after one season in Seattle. Sounders FC’s roster now sits at 23 contracted players as 2019 preseason preparations continue with an 11-day camp in Tucson starting on February 6.
Francis, 28, started five of 11 regular-season appearances for Sounders FC in 2018, recording one assist. He also recorded 56 minutes as a substitute in leg one of Seattle’s Western Conference Semifinals series with Portland on November 4, 2018. The Costa Rican international was acquired prior to the 2018 campaign after four seasons in Columbus, where he was an MLS All-Star selection in 2015.
After concluding preseason camp in Orange County on Saturday, Sounders FC now returns home for a brief stint in Seattle before traveling to Tucson on Wednesday, February 6 for 11 days in Arizona. While in Tucson, the Rave Green are scheduled to play three preseason fixtures, facing the Houston Dynamo (February 9), Portland Timbers (February 13) and FC Dallas (February 16), all at Kino Sports Complex. Prior to departing for Arizona, Sounders FC is set to train in Seattle on Tuesday, February 5 at Starfire Sports.
TRANSACTION: Sounders FC acquires $50,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) from Columbus Crew SC in exchange for defender Waylon Francis.
