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Sounders sign Austrian midfielder Andreas Ivanschitz

The Seattle Sounders signed Austrian attacking midfielder Andreas Ivanschitz to a contract on Tuesday.

Ivanschitz, 31, last played for Levante in La Liga and will be added to the Sounders' roster pending receipt of his visa and international transfer certificate.

Seattle did not disclose terms of the deal.

"Andreas is a skilled and dynamic player that has proven his abilities in some of Europe's top domestic leagues and at the international level," Sounders president Garth Lagerwey said. "We're excited to bring him to Seattle and help him integrate into our attack as we head toward the stretch run of our season."

The 31-year-old Ivanschitz said on Facebook "Major League Soccer has improved from year to year, and the fact that many international stars are playing there has strengthened my positive opinion."

Ivanschitz, who has 69 caps for Austria, spent two years at Levante after spending time with Mainz in the German Bundesliga, where he scored 22 times in 104 appearances.

He was named the Austrian Footballer of the Year in 2003 while with Rapid Vienna and has also played for Panathinaikos in Greece.

"Andreas is a player who is creative in the attack and dangerous on set-pieces, and I'm looking forward to seeing what he can contribute to the group," said Sounders coach Sigi Schmid. "As we head into the final months of our season and begin CONCACAF Champions League play, we welcome Andreas' experience and poise at this critical time of year."