João Paulo of the Seattle Sounders has suffered a torn ACL during a training session, marking a recurrence of the same injury he sustained in 2022.

The injury occurred in a non-contact situation during training on July 5, 2025, leading head coach Brian Schmetzer to express deep disappointment for João Paulo, who had been performing well recently.

As of now, João Paulo has not scheduled his surgery, and the Sounders have not placed him on the season-ending injury list, although recovery for this type of injury typically takes 6-9 months or longer.

The Sounders can place João Paulo on the season-ending injury list to replace his roster spot, but they will not receive salary cap relief after previously using it to sign Ryan Kent.

With João Paulo's injury, the Sounders may need to rely more on Cristian Roldan and Obed Vargas, who are on track for the highest minute totals of their careers.

Despite playing less than 500 minutes this season, João Paulo was expected to receive more playing time as the Sounders approach the Leagues Cup later in July 2025.

João Paulo logged nearly 3,000 minutes in the 2023 season despite battling hip pain and accepted a return in 2024 on a 60% pay cut, leaving his future uncertain.

The midfielder did not participate in training on July 4, 2025, and Schmetzer is set to address the media regarding the situation on July 6, 2025.

In positive news, defender Yeimar Gomez Andrade has returned to full training after recovering from a hamstring injury and a calf strain, although he may not be available for the upcoming match against the Columbus Crew.

Additionally, the Sounders announced that the grass has been removed from Lumen Field, which may affect play during their match scheduled at 2 PM due to a slower surface caused by the sun.

Jordan Morris is now fully fit to start after limited play this season, having spent less than 600 minutes on the field across all competitions.

Currently, the Sounders have approximately $1.1 million in available salary-cap space.