Out-of-contract forward Chad Barrett and goalkeeper Troy Perkins are among the 26 inaugural Major League Soccer free agents unveiled Monday afternoon, among the privileged few that are 28 years or older and have eight-plus years of league tenure.
Free agency was a key sticking point in the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations that threatened the beginning of this past season, and even those eligible are “subject to certain restrictions” when angling for a new deal.
Barrett, 30, scored 12 goals in two seasons with the Sounders, making regular appearances as the third wheel behind forwards Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins.