Seattle Sounders Play Down Reports Obafemi Martins Has Joined Shanghai Shenhua

Seattle Sounders General Manager Garth Lagerwey has reacted to reports which claimed that Obafemi Martins’ move to Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua is a done deal.

Lagerwey admitted that a transfer to China might be on the cards but stressed there are still details of the contract to be ironed out, adding that Sounders have a back-up plan if the Nigeria international departs CenturyLink Field before the start of the 2016 season.

“We’ve had an approach from a Chinese club for his services, and it could take a while to have that resolved. Hopefully we’ll know more by the end of the week,” Garth Lagerwey told soundersfc.com.

“We’ll do what we need to do. We have contingency plans. If that third DP slot opens up, it gives us a lot more roster flexibility, and an ability to implement our long-term vision for this team.

“If it doesn’t we’ll have Obafemi Martins back. And that’s a good thing too.”

Obafemi Martins did not travel with the Seattle Sounders squad to California for pre-season training.