Chris Wondolowski signs new deal with San Jose Earthquakes
Chris Wondolowski has enjoyed loads of success with the San Jose Earthquakes, and it appears he'll be in position to do so for the foreseeable future.
Wondolowski and the Earthquakes agreed on a new multi-year deal, the club announced on Friday. Wondolowski, who briefly started his career with the Earthquakes in 2005, moved to the club from the Houston Dynamo in a 2009 trade and has been there ever since. He emerged with an 18-goal season in 2010, tied the league's single-season record in 2012 with 27 and has been a mainstay among the league's top scorers.
“Signing a new contract means the world to me. It’s a huge honor,” Wondolowski, a Bay Area native, said in a statement. “I love this club and I want to be a part of it. I’m excited for the future and where we’re headed.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to MLS Players Union documents released on Thursday, Wondolowski was set to make $700,000 guaranteed in 2016.
The 33-year-old Wondolowski is climbing the all-time goal-scoring charts in MLS, with his 116 goals the fourth most in league history. He sits 28 behind Landon Donovan's record of 144 and is position to break it with his new deal with San Jose.
“He’s meant everything to this team,’ said Earthquakes head coach Dominic Kinnear. “I think he’s been a great leader on the field and a great citizen off of it. The accomplishments he has made as a San Jose Earthquake have been nothing short of incredible and it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.”
Wondolowski spoke about his rise, his career and his future on a recent Planet Futbol Podcast(Wondolowski's segment begins at 36:32):
Wondolowski is on the USA's 40-man preliminary roster for Copa America and is hoping for a place on Jurgen Klinsmann's final roster. The USA opens the tournament in nearby Santa Clara, California, against Colombia.
