Josh Atencio has been traded to the Colorado Rapids, Sounder at Heart can confirm. Tom Bogert was the first to report the news on Saturday.
The Sounders will receive $1.3 million in General Allocation Money – split evenly between 2025 and 2026 – plus as much as $300,000 more if certain performance metrics are hit, according to the official release. The Sounders will also retain a 20% sell-on, Sounder at Heart has learned, if Atencio is transferred outside MLS or traded within the league. That the Sounders are receiving GAM – as opposed to this being a so-called “cash trade” – was key, as it doesn’t reduce how much they can convert from future transfers. Teams are only allowed to convert $3 million a year from transfers into GAM.
“We want to sincerely thank Josh for his time with the Sounders organization, from his early days in our academy to his contributions at the First Team level. He’s been a dedicated professional and a great representative of our club,” Sounders GM Craig Waibel said in the official release. “Part of our commitment to player development is ensuring that each individual has the right opportunity to maximize their potential. While we always strive to create those opportunities in Seattle, we also recognize that sometimes a fresh start can be the best path forward. We’re pleased to have worked with Josh to find a situation where he can continue to grow, and we wish him nothing but success in Colorado.”
This was already shaping up to be an interesting offseason for Atencio, who has been a part of the Sounders organization since he joined the Academy as a 14-year-old in 2016. Atencio had played almost exclusively in a double-pivot during that time but had agreed to a plan to convert to a centerback this preseason after getting stuck behind Obed Vargas and Cristian Roldan on the depth chart.
