Nicolas Lodeiro appears to have played his final game for Seattle Sounders after their postseason exit to LAFC, with head coach Brian Schmetzer admitting that change at the club is inevitable.
For many Seattle supporters, the bigger takeaway from the primetime clash at Lumen Field might be Lodeiro exiting the Pacific Northwest after an incredible eight-year run that followed a stint at Argentine giants Boca Juniors.
Lodeiro, who confirmed earlier this season that he hasn't been offered a new deal, came on as a substitute during the Sounders' 1-0 defeat to LAFC in the MLS Cup Western Conference semi-finals.
"Look, it's always going to be difficult when certain players leave the club," Schmetzer said. "And I’ll start with Zach Scott who started with me in the USL days, and then we had Kasey Keller, and then we had Clint [Dempsey], and then we had Roman [Torres], and don’t forget Ozzie [Alonso]. And now it's Nico [Lodeiro]. There’s always going to be great players at this club that have done great things for this organization."
Schmetzer's comments make it sound like Lodeiro's departure is all but certain, but he maintains the fact that the Sounders will move on and adapt after the Uruguayan's playing days are officially over in Seattle.
"And change is inevitable," he said. "It's pro sports, we can’t be afraid of change. We can’t be afraid of making decisions. And the club’s going to survive, the club is going to keep going. We're going to find new, good players. Again, Craig [Waibel] and I will go take some time over the next couple of weeks and decide and make decisions and go into next year with a plan and we’ll let you guys know what we come up with."
In all, Lodeiro has donned the Sounders colors 231 times across all competitions, scoring 58 goals and dishing out 62 assists to establish himself as one of the most consistent attacking midfielders in MLS.
Lodeiro's greatness didn't stop at individual level, though. He led Seattle to MLS Cup glory in 2016 and 2019, the Supporters' Shield in 2014 and propelled the team to becoming the first-ever MLS side to win the 2022 edition of the Concacaf Champions League.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Brian Schmetzer provides update on Nico Lodeiro's contract after postseason exit.
