Seattle Sounders: Why Signing Dario Benedetto Isn’t a Good Idea
By Paul Taylor
As exciting as the speculation undoubtedly is, bringing in forward Dario Benedetto might not actually be the best move for the Seattle Sounders.
Still in the ascendancy after seeing the Seattle Sounders win their first ever MLS Cup, fans have been given more reason to remain on a high. According to news that came out on Thursday, the Rave Green are apparently in the running for striker Dario Benedetto.
The speculation was reported by Juan G. Arango, after Boca Juniors’ president Daniel Angelici announced that an MLS team had made an offer for Benedetto. After speaking with multiple sources in Argentina, the ESPN analyst writes that either the Sounders or L.A. Galaxy have offered between $12-14 million.
Arango goes on to claim that based on certain information gathered, he believes the Sounders are in pole position. Certainly, the 26-year old would be an intriguing addition, having already achieved a lot during his professional career.
Benedetto’s resume includes two CONCACAF Champions League medals. Renowned as a clinical goalscorer, he was also the CONCACAF Champions League Top Goalscorer in 2014-15.
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However, there is a substantial reason why such a deal may not be the best move for the Sounders. Pure and simple, it comes down to finances.
The quoted fee is an awful lot of money for any MLS team to spend on one player. In fact, it would be the highest in league history.
The Sounders have gone on record as saying they want to maintain a sustainable business model, which theoretically includes not operating at a loss. Spending record money on the Argentinian native so soon after bringing in Nicolas Lodeiro, would seem to go against this mindset.
Of course, as people will often say in cases like this, it’s not our money, so why should we care? In addition, the Sounders have wealthy owners with more than enough funds to cover such a move.
In this respect, the Sounders have repeatedly stated their ambition to eventually fill out CenturyLink Field on a regular basis. Fresh off their first MLS Cup win, they will want to take advantage and build on their current momentum.
Certainly, bringing in Benedetto would be a step in the right direction. Just the thought of a forward line including him, Lodeiro, Jordan Morris and — hopefully — Clint Dempsey, is enough to leave Sounders’ fans salivating and opponents sweating.
Overall, it is this writer’s humble opinion that a fee of $12-14 million is too much of a gamble at this stage. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how this scenario plays out.
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What’s your take on the Sounders’ rumored interest in Benedetto? When considering all the pros and cons, are you for or against the Rave Green signing him? Share your thoughts in the comments section.