Lamar Neagle was reunited with his hometown team Sunday when Sounders FC acquired him from the Montreal Impact.
“It’s amazing to come home and rejoin the Sounders,” Neagle said through a club press release. “The fans have had so much support for me throughout my career, and (coach Sigi Schmid) was the first coach to give me a chance.”
Neagle, 25, was born in Tacoma and raised in Federal Way, where he played for Jefferson High School before going to UNLV. He initially joined the Sounders in 2009, but didn’t stick. He went on to develop his game at USL Charleston and Finland’s IFK Mariehamn before returning to Seattle in March 2011. This time he stuck, scoring five goals in 23 appearances and recording the second hat trick in Sounders history.
Before the 2012 season, he and Mike Fucito were traded to Montreal for forward Eddie Johnson. Neagle had two goals and two assists for the Impact.
He returns through a trade that sends one of Seattle’s international roster spots to Montreal through the 2014 season.
“He is an attacking midfielder who plays smart and adds versatility to our club,” sporting director Chris Henderson said in the release. “Lamar scored a few key goals for us in the past while being a very consistent player. He is a great teammate and positive presence in the locker room.”
Neagle is expected to join the Sounders on Tuesday when their preseason training shifts to Casa Grande, Ariz.
Seattle opens its MLS regular season March 2 when the Impact visits CenturyLink Field.
Don Ruiz: 253-597-8808 don.ruiz@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/soccer @donruiztnt
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