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Sounders sign Tomlinson and Kante

April 24, 2008 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Seattle Sounders News Release


The Seattle Sounders announce today the signings of Youssouf Kante and Craig Tomlinson, pending international clearance, for the 2008 season.

This year will be Tomlinson's eighth season with the Sounders and it will be Kante's first with the team.

A staple of Sounders sides since 2000, Craig Tomlinson is a familiar and loved figure in the community. A three time Sounders community player of the year, Tomlinson has been involved with outreach programs and has spearheaded the "Sounders in Schools" program for the last three years.

"Craig has been a positive influence both on and off the field for eight years", Coach Schmetzer said. "Craig is also, arguably, the fastest guy in the league and I will use him in the right situations."

A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Tomlinson adds depth at the forward position and has scored 11 goals and notched 6 assists in his career. He also scored the fourth and final goal in Seattle's 4-0 victory over the Atlanta Silverbacks in last season's championship game.

Youssouf Kante was born in Paris, France and came up through the Paris St. Germain academy. A fast, skilled midfielder, Kante has impressed the coaching staff with his hard work and confidence on the ball. Standing 5-10, Kante comes to the Sounders after trials with Toronto FC and Kansas City.

"Youssouf is the surprise player from the preseason. He's a technically gifted player and we hope to have him eligible as soon as possible", said Schmetzer. "Youssouf has an opportunity to have a big impact on the team."

To learn more about Craig Tomlinson or Youssouf Kante, visit www.seattlesounders.net.

The Sounders travel to Portland to take on the Timbers Saturday, April 26th which can be seen on usllive.com. The Sounders home opener is May 10th at Qwest field.

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