German club reports Sounders have signed Christian Tiffert to 3-year deal (updated)

Christian Tiffert is a Sounder, says this post from July 27 on the official club website of Kaiserslautern. (screen cap)

FC Kaiserslautern have posted on their official club website that their former captain midfielder Christian Tiffert is headed to the Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer after the clubs agreed on a transfer. Today the player’s agent has tweeted that Tiffert will be a Designated Player (DP) while the Sounders have acknowledged the negotiations are at an advanced stage.

“Midfielder Christian Tiffert leaves FC Kaiserslautern and joins U.S. club Seattle Sounders FC,” the translated headline reads.

More translation from the club post: “Christian Tiffert, the 30-year-old has been signed up by a member of Major League Soccer, Seattle Sounders FC, on a contract for three seasons, after both clubs agreed on the transfer arrangements. Christian Tiffert moved to the 2010/11 from MSV Duisburg for the first FC Kaiserslautern and graduated from the Red Devils for a total of 64 league games (4 goals). A total of 225 Bundesliga games for him (13 goals) and 58 second division matches (7 goals) for the CFC, Duisburg, Stuttgart and Borussia Berlin.”

Tiffert had visited Seattle back in June, as reported by Goal.com:

“I had many offers, from Bundesliga clubs too, but it hasn’t worked out,” Tiffert said in the brief report. The former German youth international wants to see “whether a transfer to the U.S. makes sense.”

German press are reporting the move for Tiffert, with more to follow as both clubs officially announce the transfer. (screen cap)

Cheeky Backheel looked closer at the player when interest from the Sounders was made public:

Tiffert is, first and for most, an excellent distributor of the ball (he led the Bundesliga in assists in ’10/’11). He is equally good at short and long passes with exceptional vision and would look great as a ‘regista’ type midfielder, playing as a deep-lying playmaker spraying the ball around and freeing up Ozzie Alonso to remain the enforcer in the middle of the pitch. He is also an excellent free kicker, something the Sounders have truly been lacking since our MLS inception. Fredy Montero has had his fare share of curling blasts from 30 yards out, but the Sounders have never been a true threat from crossing set pieces and corners. Tiffert would improve this immensely for a team lacking in that department. Here is a better look at some of his other attributes from a Pro Evolution Soccer database post of him, which uses collaborations from its members to come up with the most accurate real life portrayals of the players for the cult classic soccer game. Even if you don’t play this game (looking at you FIFA fan boys), or don’t believe in in-game attributes as a true scale for scouting, you can plainly see he is an above average (on a 99 point system) dribbler, passer and free kicker who can play as an attacking midfielder or as a classic #10 static playmaker.

About these ads