Seattle Sounders: DeAndre Yedlin return a no-brainer, right?

DeAndre Yedlin has said that he will one day return to the Seattle Sounders. Such a transfer is a no-brainer for the Rave Green, right? Well, almost.

Players that have the capability of playing at a higher level than Major League Soccer will always be extremely useful. The best players in the league are often those that have proven themselves at a higher level. Carlos Vela developed in England and Spain, Alejandro Pozuelo played in England, Spain before killing the Belgian league, while Atlanta United’s Martinez’s produced in Italy and Argentina respectively.

While the standard of MLS play has improved significantly in recent seasons, so much so that those that have played in Europe and beyond can no longer arrive in the league out of the shape or with a complacent attitude and expect to dominate like before, ultimately, those that have only played in MLS or have spent the majority of their careers in MLS are not the dominant players in the league.

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The Seattle Sounders are one of the teams to have experienced this. Clint Dempsey, Nicolas Lodeiro, Raul Ruidiaz, Obafemi Martins. Some of their elite players over the years have hailed from different leagues and nations. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. Ozzie Alonso, Chad Marshall and Cristian Roldan have all spent the majority of their careers in MLS. But on the whole, the players that take the team to a new level are those that have experienced a higher competition level.

This week, former Seattle Sounders star DeAndre Yedlin said that he one day intends to return to the Pacific Northwest after his European career has drawn to a close. Yedlin is a Seattle kid. He moved into the Sounders academy in 2010 and played in the Development Academy leagues throughout his youth.

He eventually signed a homegrown contract in January 2013 and played for the first team for two seasons, making 56 appearances. In the 2014 summer, it was announced that Yedlin would make the move to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, though he would not make the switch across the pond until the end of the 2014 MLS campaign.

Ever since that time, Yedlin has spent time in England, but his ties with Seattle are strong, and this week, he revealed that he would love to return to the Sounders. When speaking with club legend Steve Zakuani, via the official Seattle Sounders Twitter account, Yedlin said:

"“One-hundred per cent. That’s been my plan all along, to hopefully finish where I started. I think that would make for a pretty good career. I remember when I left, [head coach Brian Schmetzer] told me, ‘You’re welcome back at any time.’ So, I’m [going to] hold him to that.”"

From the Seattle Sounders perspective, this deal is a no-brainer. Almost. The Sounders would have the opportunity to bring a player with over 100 Premier League appearances to the team — Yedlin would likely have double or triple that figure assuming he stays in the Premier League by the time he arrives. He is a club legend, popular among the fanbase, and a high-quality player for any MLS team. There is just one problem.

Because Yedlin was sold for more than $500,000 and outside of the league, Seattle would have to claim the number one allocation spot at the time of his return. That adds an extra cost to a player who would not be that cheap in the first place.

Nevertheless, given Yedlin’s quality, character, and popularity, a return to Seattle is a no-brainer for all involved, despite the added cost.