Sounders sign Paraguay's Valdez as new Designated Player

SEATTLE --

The Seattle Sounders have signed Paraguayan striker Nelson Valdez, becoming the third forward on their roster that is a designated player.

Seattle announced Valdez's signing on Friday. The 31-year-old had last been playing for Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga.

Valdez is a veteran of two World Cups and two Copa America tournaments with the Paraguay national team. He played 15 seasons in Europe, including stints with three clubs in Germany: Eintracht Frankfurt, Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund. Valdez also had stints with Hercules, Rubin Kazan, Valencia, Al Jazira and Olympiacos in various leagues.

In Seattle he will reunite with fellow designated player Obafemi Martins. The pair played together at Rubin Kazan.

Seattle cleared space to make Valdez a designated player by using targeted allocation money on midfielder Osvaldo Alonso to lower his salary budget charge.