Sounders’ Jordan Morris out for the season with knee injury

TUKWILA — Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris will miss the 2018 Major League Soccer season because of a torn knee ligament.

The tear to the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee came during last week’s CONCACAF Champions League matchup against El Salvador’s Santa Tecla.

General manager Garth Lagerwey said Monday initial tests appear to show no further damage. He said he expects Morris to undergo surgery in the next few weeks once the swelling subsides. Lagerwey said he wants Morris to fully recover and therefore won’t rush to get him back late in the season.

“We think he is a Sounder for the long term, he is in the organizations long-term plans,” Lagerwey said.

After a dynamic rookie season in 2016 when he helped Seattle win its first MLS Cup title, Morris’ career has dipped largely because of injuries. He missed much of Seattle’s run to last year’s league final because of an ailing hamstring. He appeared ready for a rebound season after a solid showing during U.S. national team camp in January.

Morris was hurt last Thursday in the 85th minute of Seattle’s round of 16 matchup against Santa Tecla. Morris crumpled to the turf after taking an awkward step while trying to chip over the goalkeeper. The Sounders lost 2-1, with the return leg this week in Seattle.

The injury also extends to the national team. Morris is one of the prominent options at forward for a team that is rebuilding after failing to qualify for the World Cup.

“He had come back from the hamstring issue and been healthy for a couple of months and had been playing better and better. … We really felt good about him and felt he was in good form,” Lagerwey said.

Lagerwey said Seattle won’t rush to find a replacement for Morris — the club has options with Clint Dempsey, Will Bruin and Lamar Neagle. But this wasn’t a position Lagerwey expected to fill on the cusp of the MLS season.

“We had a really good complement of skill sets of playing in that position in a 4-2-3-1 (formation),” Lagerwey said. “Obviously, we’re going to have to revise our search a little bit.”