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Transfers of Thursday, 13 January 2011

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Seattle Sounders draft Ghanaian midfielder

The Seattle Sounders traded their way out of the first round of the United States Major League Soccer Super Draft on Thursday, waiting until the second round to take Michael Tetteh from UC Santa Barbara with the 20th overall pick and Southern Methodist's Juan Leone Cruz at No. 21.

Tetteh, 21, is a 5-foot-8, 155-pounder from Accra, Ghana.

Cruz, is a 6-foot, 172-pound defender from Round Rock, Texas.

Tetteh is listed as a midfielder, but he is a potential left back and is left-footed.

"A lot of coaches I have talked to have looked at me as a left back because I'm able to go down the field," Tetteh said.

"With the style of play that Seattle plays, I think it's going to be a very good fit for me."

He said he models his game after Ashley Cole of Chelsea.

Before playing at UCSB, Tetteh attended the Dunn School in Santa Ynez, Calif., on a full scholarship. The school has a history of developing Ghanaian players and has served as a pipeline to UCSB. Tetteh said he hasn't seen his family in six years.

He said the experience of playing at UCSB prepared him for Seattle. The Gauchos routinely draw more than 10,000 fans to their games. It's not exactly the 36,000 at Qwest Field, but Tetteh is used to large crowds.

Tetteh said he hopes to play right away with the Sounders.

"My goal is to go there work hard and be on the starting squad," Tetteh said.

Below is the list picks.

FIRST ROUND

1. Vancouver Whitecaps – Omar Salgado (F, USA U-20).

2. Portland Timbers – Darlington Nagbe (F/M Akron).

3. D.C. United – Perry Kitchen (M, Akron).

4. Chivas USA – Zarek Valentin (D, Akron).

5. Philadelphia Union – Zac MacMath (G, Maryland).

6. New England Revolution – A.J. Soares (D, Cal).

7. Houston Dynamo – Kofi Sarkodie (D, Akron).

8. Vancouver Whitecaps – Michael Nanchoff (M, Akron).

9. Chicago Fire – Jalil Anibaba (D, North Carolina).

10. Sporting KC – C.J. Sapong (F, James Madison).

11. Houston Dynamo – Will Bruin (F, Indiana).

12. Columbus Crew – Rich Balchan (D, Indiana).

13. New York Red Bulls – Corey Hertzog (F, Penn State).

14. Chivas USA – Victor Estupinan (F, Ecuador).

15. Columbus Crew – Justin Meram (F, Michigan).

16. Los Angeles Galaxy – Paolo Cardozo (M, Uruguay).

17. FC Dallas – Bobby Warshaw (M, Stanford).

18. Colorado Rapids – Eddie Ababio (D, North Carolina).

SECOND ROUND

19. Vancouver Whitecaps – Jeb Brovsky (F/M, Notre Dame).

20. Sounders – Michael Tetteh (M, UC Santa Barbara).

21. Sounders – Juan Leone Cruz (D, Southern Methodist).

22. Portland Timbers – Chris Taylor (D, Tulsa).

23. Philadelphia Union – Michael Farfan (M, North Carolina).

24. New England Revolution – Stephen McCarthy (M, North Carolina).

25. New York Red Bulls – John Rooney (M, England).

26. Toronto FC – Demitrius Omphroy (D, Cal).

27. Sounders – Servando Carrasco (M, Cal).

28. Columbus Crew – Cole Grossman (M, Duke).

29. Sounders – Bryan Meredith (GK, Monmouth).

30. New York Red Bulls – Tyler Lassiter (D, North Carolina State).

31. D.C. United – Chris Korb (D, Akron).

32. Sporting KC – J.T. Murray (D, Louisville).

33. San Jose Earthquakes – Anthony Ampaipitakwong (M, Akron).

34. L.A. Galaxy – Hector Jimenez (M, Cal).

35. FC Dallas – Charlie Campbell (M/F Louisville).

36. Colorado Rapids – Colin Givens (D, Michigan State).