Seattle Sounders sign United States forward Jordan Morris
United States forward Jordan Morris completed his long-awaited move to MLS by signing a Homegrown contract with Seattle Sounders on Thursday.
Morris agreed to terms with the Sounders after leaving Stanford to turn pro earlier this month and weighing a potential deal with German Bundesliga side Werder Bremen.
"It's been my hometown club for a while," Morris said in a press conference to announce his signing on Thursday afternoon. "I've lived in Seattle for my whole life. I've followed this club in their USL days and in their MLS days as well. It's just a huge honor to be back here. I'm excited to be home and to get going."
It's good to be home! #seattlelove pic.twitter.com/X4mBwkEkMj
— Jordan Morris (@JmoSmooth13) January 21, 2016
The 21-year-old forward received a contract offer to join Bremen prior to the second half of the Bundesliga season, but he spurned those overtures to complete a deal with the Sounders instead. He is expected to receive the largest contract for a Homegrown player in MLS history.
Strong links between Morris and the Sounders paved the way for the decision. Morris, a Mercer Island, Wash. native, attended matches as a child and played in the Sounders Academy. His father, Michael Morris, joined the club as team physician during its USL days and eventually took over as chief medical director.
"Obviously, this started a while back," Sounders investor/operator Adrian Hanauer said in a press conference on Thursday. "As Garth [Lagerwey, Sounders general manager] said to me this morning, This has been a 10-year signing process given the length of the relationship we've had with the Morris family. And, all along the way, this process has been brought with people of immense character and integrity on both sides, as far as the Sounders go and the Morris family.
"At times, I'll say it was -- maybe frustrating is the wrong word -- but we certainly wanted to sign Jordan before today, but Jordan made a commitment to Stanford University, his teammates, his coaches," Hanauer continued. "Every six months, we'd tried to test that commitment and character, but he was steadfast in what he had committed to."
Welcome Home. pic.twitter.com/5cY6rRUsEK
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) January 21, 2016
MAC Hermann Trophy winner Morris is expected to compete for playing time up front with Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins and Nelson Valdez when the 2016 MLS season begins in March.
