Seattle Sounders acquire Paul Arriola in trade with FC Dallas

PORTLAND, OREGON - OCTOBER 06: Paul Arriola #7 of FC Dallas controls the ball against the Portland Timbers during the second half at Providence Park on October 06, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. (Amanda Loman / Getty Images)
The Seattle Sounders made their second trade in a week with FC Dallas, acquiring winger Paul Arriola in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft and up to $300,000 in general allocation money.
Arriola, 29, has spent the last eight seasons in MLS after playing four years for Club Tijuana in Liga MX. Arriola has 37 goals and 34 assists in 174 regular-season appearances with FC Dallas and DC United. Arriola has agreed to a new three-year contract with a club option for 2028 with the Sounders as part of the trade.
"We’re thrilled to welcome Paul to the organization. His experience at both the club and international levels speaks for itself, and his versatility on the field adds an important dimension to our roster," Sounders FC General Manager & Chief Soccer Officer Craig Waibel said in a statement. "This signing underscores our commitment to building a team with the depth and quality needed to compete at the highest level, and we’re excited to see the impact Paul will make here in Seattle."
The Sounders acquired forward Jesús Ferreira from FC Dallas last week in exchange for midfielder Léo Chú and up to $2.3 million in general allocation money. Both Ferreira and Arriola have played for the U.S. Men’s National Team as well.
Arriola debuted with Club Tijuana in 2013, making 114 appearances with 11 goals. He transferred to DC United midway through the 2017 season and played in 92 games across in all competitions from 2017-2021, recording 20 goals with 16 assists. He was also briefly loaned to Swansea City (Wales) in the 2021 season as well.
Arriola was traded to FC Dallas prior to the 2022 season and played in 96 games for the club over the last three years, with 18 goals and 19 assists. His first career playoff goal came against the Sounders in 2023.
"I’m pleased to welcome Paul to Seattle. His ability to play multiple positions at a high level gives us a lot of flexibility as a coaching staff," head coach Brian Schmetzer said in a statement. "Beyond his skill and versatility, Paul’s experience will be a positive impact in the locker room and contribute to the strong culture we’ve built at this club. We’re excited to see what he brings to the group."
Arriola has 50 career appearances for the U.S. in international play, scoring 10 goals. He’s been a part of two Concacaf Gold Cup winning rosters in 2017 and 2021, and was a part of the victorious Concacaf Nations League roster in 2019-20.
The Sounders open preseason training on Monday morning at the Providence Swedish Performance Center & Clubhouse in Tukwila. The team will travel to Marbella, Spain at the end of the week for continued training before opening their year in Concacaf Champions League play at Antigua GFC of Guatemala on February 19 at 5 p.m. PT.
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