Guatemalan midfielder Marco Pappa is on the move after two years with the Seattle Sounders, with the club announcing Tuesday he’s been traded to the Colorado Rapids for general allocation money.
Per MLS and club policy, additional terms of the agreement are not being disclosed.
"It's tough to let a good, creative, technical player like Marco go, but we felt compelled to complete this agreement in order to create the resources to build our team for the long-term," Sounders FC general manager and president of soccer Garth Lagerwey said in a statement. "We wish him all the best in Colorado and thank him for all the big moments he contributed to in Seattle over the past two years."
Pappa, 28, recorded nine goals and 11 assists in 49 MLS regular season appearances for Sounders FC after joining the club prior to the 2014 campaign. After recording six goals and five assists in 29 MLS games in 2014, the Guatemalan international registered a new career-high with six assists to go along with three goals this past season.
Colorado was left with an opening in midfield after the option of Vicente Sanchez was declined earlier this offseason.
“We are delighted to acquire a player of the caliber of Marco,” Rapids VP of soccer operations and technical director Paul Bravo said in a team statement. “The departure of Vicente Sanchez left a gap for a chief creator, and we believe Marco can step in to that vital role. He is a seasoned international with European experience and has been part of high-quality Seattle side in recent years.
“It is no secret we need to increase our attacking output. We are confident Marco will add a creative element to our attack which will benefit everyone on the field.”
Prior to joining Sounders FC, Pappa scored 26 goals and recorded 16 assists from 2008-2012 with the Chicago Fire and had a brief stint with Dutch side SC Heerenveen. He has 49 career international caps and 11 goals for the Guatemalan national team.
