Seattle Sounders FC has traded defender Jeff Parke to the Philadelphia Union in exchange for allocation money and a 2013 first-round Supplemental Draft pick, the club announced today.

Parke, 30, played three seasons for Sounders FC and was voted the club's Defender of the Year in 2011 and 2012. He made 78 regular-season appearances for Seattle, including 77 starts, and has 210 career MLS appearances during his nine-year career. Parke appeared in 39 of 48 matches across all competitions in 2012. Overall, he has started 102 of his 105 appearances across all competitions with Seattle, logging 8,848 minutes.

"We would like to thank Jeff for his outstanding contributions to Sounders FC," said Owner and General Manager Adrian Hanauer. "Jeff has been a fantastic pro and valuable to our success as a team. Sometimes family trumps soccer, and in this case, we were able to help Jeff get closer to his family. We wish Jeff well and he will always have a place in Sounders history."