RENTON, WASH. – Sounders FC today announced that it has loaned forward Yu Tsukanome to USL Championship side Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC through the end of the 2026 USL season. Tsukanome signed with Seattle this season after two seasons with Tacoma Defiance from 2024-2025.
Tsukanome, 25, has made 65 all-competition appearances (51 starts) for Tacoma Defiance since originally signing with the MLS NEXT Pro club ahead of the 2024 season. After a five-goal campaign in 2024, he scored a Defiance / S2 single-season record 21 goals in all competitions during the 2025 campaign, including 18 in MLSNP regular-season play. While not appearing for the First Team since signing in the 2026 offseason, he has added another five strikes to his Defiance goal total in 10 starts this year.
Prior to his time with Defiance, Tsukanome played for Dakota Fusion FC of the National Premier Soccer League in 2023, where the striker scored 16 goals in 10 games, winning the 2023 NPSL Golden Boot Award. He was named to the 2023 NPSL National XI, NPSL Midwest Region XI and NPSL North Conference XI. Before joining the NPSL, Tsukanome attended Biwako Seikei Sport College in Japan. In 2022, the school reached the Semifinal of the Japan College Prime Minister’s Cup, falling to eventual champion Kokushikan University. Tsukanome scored two goals in the tournament, leading the team.
Following road matches at Austin and Philadelphia last week, Sounders FC continues its road stretch with a match against archrival Portland on Saturday, August 1 at Providence Park (7:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, FS1, FOX Deportes, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
TRANSACTION:Â Sounders FC loans forward Yu Tsuknaome to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC through the end of the 2026 season on July 28, 2026.
