Seattle Times: Sounders settle dispute with Crew

Jose Romero adds to recent reports clearing the way for Sounders FC to sign Sigi Schmid.

Seattle sent allocation money — additional funds outside of the league salary cap each MLS team is given in order to help them sign players — and an undisclosed cash amount to Columbus in exchange for the Crew releasing Schmid from a noncompete clause in Schmid's contract that expired at the end of last month.

"We felt like it was best to just settle this thing," Sounders FC general manager Adrian Hanauer said. "We wanted to get this thing settled and hopefully sign the best coach in MLS.

"We are in the late stages of negotiating with Sigi."

Romero also reports that Nate Jaqua visited Seattle this week:

"I'm excited with the way they're running everything," he said. "Here they're really trying to take their time and do it right."

Jaqua confirmed that there was an agreement in place between Houston and Seattle that had the Dynamo signing Jaqua for the second half of last season in exchange for Houston agreeing to leave Jaqua unprotected in the expansion draft so Seattle could select him.

"Nate's as close to a lock [to make the team] as there is," Hanauer said.