By Owen Murray & Juan Maygua
The Seattle Sounders announced the signing of veteran forward Héber on Thursday from NYCFC for a reported initial fee of $400k in General Allocation Money, which could rise to $650k based on his performance (Jeremiah Oshan on Twitter). The 31 year old forward seems a personnel replacement for Will Bruin in the squad, whom the Sounders did not re-sign after the 2022 season. The Sounders will look to integrate Héber into the squad quickly, as they turn their eyes towards their inaugural participation in the FIFA Club World Cup, hosted in Morocco in early February, and their MLS season opener on February 26th.
Héber departs NYCFC as a club legend after 3 seasons with the City Group outfit. Through his time with New York, in which he registered 30 goals and 7 assists, the striker finally bids farewell to the Big Apple. He recorded his best numbers during his first season with NYCFC back in 2019 as he scored 15 goals and was recognized as the NYCFC Newcomer of the Year, alongside his Goal of the Year effort against the New York Red Bulls in the Hudson River Derby.
If anything, Seattle probably landed a guarantee in terms of goalscoring - something valuable in reserve with Seattle’s dearth of goals in 2022. However, the true impact that he can bring goes beyond the field. He's a player that brings energy and togetherness to the locker room when things are not going well. The importance of one who, despite a bad run, can assure you that the team will deliver the results needed, and who’ll fight for you until the very end, is priceless for a team fighting on multiple fronts to regain their place amongst the best in the nation.
In terms of playing style, he’s a classic number 9, similar to Seattle’s DP forward Raúl Ruidíaz. The forward is always inside the box or waiting in the final third of the field. Although the penalty box forward is perceived by some to not fit the modern dynamic of the game. Héber has mixed the best of both worlds. Often active in defense, he creates spaces when needed and serves as a two-way outlet for his side. Similar to Ruidíaz, his real strengths come to fruition inside the box, where Brian Schmetzer will look to keep him in order to allow his finishing ability to shine.
In Schmetzer’s favored 4-2-3-1 formation, he can slot into Ruidíaz’ space in the side, allowing players like Jordan Morris to run off him. The possibility of a like-for-like swap is especially exciting with Ruidíaz’ return to the Peruvian setup. When Seattle lost their star forward last year, they often looked aimless, losing matches late. The opportunity to retain their shape through the summer international windows could be the depth that was needed last year, and will benefit this year with the expansion of the Leagues Cup.
However, Héber can also become lethal with a partnership upfront, which NYCFC saw firsthand. He formed an interesting bit of chemistry alongside Valentin Castellanos, as the two scored a few goals and assists, but his 2021 ACL injury stopped the development of a lethal partnership. While he’s in many ways a similar player to his ostensible strike partner Ruidíaz, the two will likely find time together, in which they are able to play with the ball in much the way that Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins - the Sounders’ most historically successful forward partnership - once did.
This should come into play if the Sounders shift towards their back five, which was primarily used in the 2021 season, which often featured Ruidíaz and one of Bruin or Fredy Montero in a two ahead of three midfielders. The shift can also come mid-game, as Nouhou is able to play at left back and as a third center back, while the midfield can afford to house more creative players with the decreased defensive responsibility.
Héber arrives in Seattle with the chance to give his career a fresh start. His injury stopped him from taking part in NYCFC’s championship run in its full extent, but he was able to return last season and displayed some of his goalscorer instincts in a few games as they made a run to the Eastern Conference Final. Hopefully he reaches his full potential in Seattle, especially having players like Ruidíaz to help him settle on the team. One thing is certain, he will fight for the team and the fans for as long as he wears the shirt. From New York, we wish you well. Take care of him, he’s one of the good ones.
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