SEATTLE, WASH. - Seattle Sounders FC today announced the signing of fullback Kelvin Leerdam. The 27-year-old Dutch international comes to Seattle after nine professional seasons in the Eredivisie, and is being added to Sounders FC's roster pending receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate. Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) was used to acquire Leerdam, and per MLS and club policy, additional terms of the deal are not being disclosed.
“Kelvin is an experienced player in the prime of his career with proven skill and athleticism,” said Sounders FC General Manager & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey. “For our club, it’s the kind of signing that is beneficial to both our short and long-term success. It’s also a testament to growth of MLS that we can spend Targeted Allocation Money on players at wide positons. We’re excited to welcome Kelvin to Seattle.”
Leerdam joins the Rave Green following nine professional seasons with Feyenoord and SBV Vitesse in the Eredivisie, the Netherlands’ top division. The Utrecht native has amassed 186 career league appearances, with 16 goals and 8 assists in the Eredivisie dating back to 2008. After starring for Feyenoord’s youth club from 2005-2008, Leerdam signed a professional contract with the First Team and went on to become a regular for five seasons, accumulating over 100 appearances across all competitions for the Rotterdam side. He moved to Vitesse in 2013, where he scored a career-high eight goals in the 2013-2014 campaign, leading the Arnhem-based club to a fourth-place finish in the table. He went on to make over 100 all-competition appearances across four campaigns for Vitesse. In total, Leerdam’s clubs have a record of 26-2-3 when the fullback registers a goal or an assist.
“As a coach, it’s always beneficial to be able to add a player like Kelvin to your team,” said Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “He checks a lot of the boxes for our long-term plan and we believe he’ll have the ability to provide competition in the squad, and make a contribution for the rest of this season and the future.”
Leerdam has represented Netherlands on the international stage, making 19 appearances and scoring one goal for the club’s U-21 side from 2010-2013. He also recorded three appearances for the U-19 side in 2009.
“Kelvin has the speed, intelligence and technical ability to help our squad maintain a steady backline and transition smoothly into the attacking third,” said Sounders FC Vice President of Soccer and Sporting Director Chris Henderson. “We’ve tracked Kelvin for a while now, and he’s a proven veteran from a competitive European league with great potential to be an immediately impactful player in MLS.”
After a 2-1 midweek road loss to San Jose in the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Fifth Round, Sounders FC returns to MLS play on Tuesday, July 4 against the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park (6:00 p.m. PT / Q13 FOX, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
Transaction: Seattle Sounders FC signs defender Kelvin Leerdam on July 1, 2017 using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM).
Name: Kelvin Leerdam
Pronunciation: Leer-DAHM
Position: Defender
Height: 5-10
Weight: 154
Born: June 24, 1990 in Paramaribo, Suriname
Hometown: Utrecht, Netherlands
Citizenship: Netherlands
Acquired: Signed to Sounders FC roster on July 1, 2017 using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM)
Previous Experience: Vitesse (2013-2017); Feyenoord (2008-2013).
