Sounders bolster attack with Young Designated Player Pedro de la Vega

It’s official: Pedro de la Vega is the newest Designated Player for Seattle Sounders FC.

de la Vega, 22, is one of the most exciting prospects to emerge out of Argentina over recent years. An electric attacking player with a nose for goal, he has garnered a reputation for beating defender on the dribble with his creativity and blistering pace.

de la Vega first broke into storied Argentine club Lanús at just 17 years old. He joins the Sounders following a campaign in which posted six goals and seven assists across all competitions in arguably the best league in South America.

Joining an attacking corps that already boasts the likes of Jordan Morris, Raúl Ruidíaz, Albert Rusnák and Cristian Roldan, de la Vega brings an exciting skillset that will turn plenty of heads at Lumen Field.

“Pedro is technically superior to a lot of players his age. In Argentina the style of play requires that,” said Sounders FC General Manager & Chief Soccer Officer Craig Waibel. “To the eye, he’s a very entertaining player. He’s fast, he’s explosive, he likes to attack players. I think that Pedro has the opportunity in front of him to come in and be an impact player on an already dangerous and consistent team.”

The Sounders are coming off a season in which they led MLS in shutouts and posted the best defensive record in the league. Seattle finished second in the West and reached the conference semifinals before falling 1-0 to reigning MLS Cup champions LAFC.

In signing a player of de la Vega’s caliber, the Sounders are poised to inject new vibrancy into their attack as the club enters its 50th Anniversary season in 2024.

“There’s a guarantee to our fanbase that Pedro is going to come in and attack with absolute vigor and venom,” said Waibel. “We add that to the structure and capabilities we already have in the attacking half of the field.”

A world-class dribbler capable of weaving his way through any defensive structure, de la Vega can be lethal in transition or unlocking a bunkered defense.

de la Vega already has an established track record for scoring wonderful goals and supplying inch-perfect crosses, with 17 goals and 30 assists from 126 appearances across all competitions for Lanús. That offensive verve has made him a mainstay on the Argentina youth national team circuit, including the 2020 Olympics where he was the second-youngest player on the roster behind Atlanta United’s Thiago Almada.

But perhaps the aspect of his game the club’s recruitment staff is most excited about is his ability to play multiple roles, giving Head Coach Brian Schmetzer the ability to deploy different personnel and tactical systems each week.

“He’s very versatile, which is one of the main reasons we were interested because we have guys in our front four attacking positions that are also versatile,” said Sounders FC Director of Scouting Sean Henderson. “So, we needed a player to come in and fit into how we play. We think his versatility will allow for us to get the most out of our current roster… Pedro having that ability to play all of those positions with slightly different traits will allow Brian and staff the ability to figure out what the best mix is.”

The first Young DP in club history, de la Vega joins the Rave Green with an already impressive pedigree. But like all young players, he has room to evolve his game, which is a tantalizing possibility for a player with so much upside.

“It usually helps when players come into an already good team,” said Director of Analytics Tyler Cox. “They can get better because they have a support infrastructure that will assist them for goals or will get open so they can get assists. We already have a strong team and that will inherently help his play. He is young, so there is a lot of excitement around the potential of him to continue to get better.”

For a club with the ambition of the Seattle Sounders, success is measured in trophies. And although de la Vega is still young, the staff believes possesses the mentality to reach those objectives.

More specifically, they feel that the character he demonstrated throughout the recruitment process, and the way he has approached his craft from an early age in Argentina, puts him position to make his mark in Seattle.

“[Meeting with Pedro] was more than enough to convince the entire staff that this was the right player to go after,” said Waibel. “We’ll let all of those qualities show themselves to our fanbase. But that really stood out to us – the steps he has taken as a young professional before we even started interacting to put himself in a position physically, emotionally, and psychologically to be successful wherever this endeavor takes him.”

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