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The next of the Portland Timbers' core players signed an extension today as Will Johnson joined several of his teammates with a new long-term deal. The details of the new deal are... Per league and team policy, of course, the specifics are unavailable but the club described the extension as multi-year and Merritt Paulson said Johnson would be in Portland "for a bit."
During the 2013 season, Darlington Nagbe, Diego Chara, Kalif Alhassan and Donovan Ricketts each signed extensions while the club bought out Diego Valeri's loan and agreed to a multi-year contract with the league's Newcomer of the Year award winner.
What a great day! Beyond excited to be staying in Portland. Huge thank you to @MerrittPaulson Gavin, Coach Porter and @RichardMotzkin #RCTID
— Will Johnson (@WillJohnson04) March 10, 2014
Here's the Timbers' official press release:
TIMBERS SIGN MIDFIELDER WILL JOHNSON TO NEW, MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers today announced that the club has signed midfielder Will Johnson to a new, multi-year contract. Per MLS and club policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Johnson, 27, was named to the league’s Best XI after helping guide the Timbers to a first-place finish in the Western Conference regular-season standings and their first-ever appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2013. Voted a 2013 AT&T MLS All-Star, Johnson also helped lead the Timbers to their deepest run in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The team’s captain set new career marks in goals (9), assists (5), points (23) and minutes played (2,520) during his first season with Portland last season.
A versatile midfielder, Johnson is a veteran of seven MLS seasons. The two-time MLS All-Star has appeared in 149 career regular-season matches (134 starts), recording 19 goals and 13 assists.
Prior to joining the Timbers, Johnson spent five seasons with Real Salt Lake (2008-12), helping the club win an MLS Cup title in 2009. He ranks among Real Salt Lake’s career leaders in regular-season appearances (114) and earned an MLS All-Star team selection in 2009. Johnson’s professional career began with the Chicago Fire in 2005, and also includes two seasons in the Netherlands with SC Heerenveen (2005-06) and De Graafschap (2006-07) before returning to MLS in 2008.