The Tacoma Defiance have transferred leading scorer Faysal Bettache to FC Tulsa of the USL Championship, the team announced on Thursday. Rhode Island FC and El Paso Locomotive had also apparently expressed interest in Bettache. Although it appears Bettache was allowed to move on a free transfer, the Defiance will retain a sell-on percentage if he is eventually transferred abroad.
“The club is grateful for all that Faysal brought to Defiance during his time here,” Sounders Director of Development Wade Webber said in a team release. “While he will always be a valued member of our team, we are excited he gets the opportunity to continue his career in a very competitive environment in the USL Championship and know that his career will only benefit from his experience with FC Tulsa.”
Bettache, who came to Defiance from St. Louis City 2 in the offseason, had been enjoying a solid season with seven goals and three assists, but apparently wasn’t projected as a first-team player by the Sounders. Among his final appearances was scoring the game-winning goal in second-half stoppage time to lift Defiance to a 4-3 victory over Sporting KC II.
Bettache’s departure will likely increase playing time for the likes of Chris Aquino, Snyder Brunell and Sebastian Gomez, all teenage products of the Sounders Academy who are often deployed in attacking midfield spots.
