Chris Eylander, former University of Washington and Auburn Riverside High standout, signed a free-agent contract Monday to remain with the Sounders – this time with Seattle’s expansion FC club for the upcoming Major League Soccer season.

“Having played for the USL (United Soccer League) Sounders the past three years and having grown up in the area, I had always wanted to play in MLS,” Eylander said in a press release. “To reach that goal and do so by playing for the first MLS team in Seattle is really, really special for me and very exciting.”

“We’re very excited to have Chris join our team,” head coach Sigi Schmid added. “I’ve seen him play at the University of Washington and I also followed his career with the USL Sounders. He’s a quality goalkeeper and a quality individual for our team.”

Terms of the multi-year deal were not disclosed.

Eylander, a Seattle native, likely will back up international star Kasey Keller.

He is the fifth player to sign a free-agent contract with the Sounders FC. The club also chose 10 players in the fall MLS expansion draft and will acquire additional players from the Jan. 15 SuperDraft of college players.

Eylander, 24, played for the Sounders of the USL First Division the past three season, leading the league in saves the last two seasons. In the past three seasons, he appeared in 78 games and recorded 29 shutouts. He had a record 453-minute scoreless streak in the U.S. Open Cup last summer, including shutouts against MLS opponents Kansas City and Chivas USA.

Eylander will work with Tom Dutra, the former USL Sounders goalkeeper coach who was hired to the same position by the Sounders FC.