Sounders forward Jordan Morris loaned to Swansea City of English Championship League
SEATTLE – The Sounders FC completed the loan for Jordan Morris to play for Swansea City A.F.C. of the English Championship League. The agreement announced Friday will have Morris play for the Welsh club through the end of the EFL season, in May, with an option to buy his rights at the end of the 2020-21 season.
Swansea plays Saturday, but the earliest Morris could make an appearance – wearing jersey No. 11 – is Wednesday against Brentford at his new club’s Liberty Stadium. The Swans have 22 matches remaining.
“It’s been a whirlwind week, but it is great to finally be here and have everything sorted out,” Morris told the team’s website. “It all started with the manager (coach Steve Cooper) calling me. It showed great respect for him to take the time to do that. The way he outlined the culture of the club and the dressing room atmosphere, it really appealed to me.
“I just felt this would be a great fit. He was really welcoming and spoke about how much he wanted me to come here, and it’s always nice to go somewhere you are wanted. It’s a huge honor to be here. I could also sense the passion the fans and the city have for this team, and a combination of all that made me know this was the right club for me.”
Morris, 26, was targeted by Cooper to help the club secure an automatic promotion to the English Premier League – England’s top-flight division. The Mercer Island, Washington, native helped Seattle become a two-time Major League Soccer champion.
There’s also a front office tie between Swansea and the Sounders as new co-owner and president of business operations, Peter Tomozawa, is a minority investor in two Championship clubs – Swansea City and Barnsley.
“At the end of the day, this move is all about Jordan and what he wants from his career,” said Garth Lagerwey, Sounders general manager and president of soccer, in a news release. “Our club and city are behind him as he embarks on the next phase of his journey, and should he return to Seattle at the end of this loan, we know he will be stronger for the experience.”
Morris was training with the U.S. men’s national team in Florida earlier this week before departing for Swansea. The wing forward has 39 caps, scoring 10 goals. One of his international goals was the winner in the USA’s Gold Cup final win over Jamaica in 2017.
Over five years with the Sounders, Morris had 41 goals and 23 assists in 121 MLS appearances, including playoff matches, and was named to the league’s Best XI last season. Morris was originally signed by the Sounders in 2016 as a Homegrown Player, spurning an opportunity to play in Germany.
“He has big ambitions to play in Europe and he had a lot of offers, so to think that we have got him is a really good thing,” Cooper told the team’s website of recent attempts for other clubs to sign Morris. “He brings good technique, he is athletic, he is quick and brings a threat. He likes to create and score in those areas of the pitch and we are adding to our attacking threat. Having lost a couple of bodies at that end of the pitch, and to be able to do that with Jordan is very positive.”
Due to a packed international slate, Morris likely won’t play for the Sounders until late in the MLS season, if at all. The league hasn’t announced the 2021 schedule but wants to kickoff in March.
“I’m very proud of the player and professional that Jordan has become,” Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said in a news release. “He’s been a large part of this club’s success and has more than earned this opportunity to play his trade abroad. This particular move gives him a chance to showcase his skill set and opens a number options for his future. On top of that, I am excited to watch him play for Swansea.”