Khano Smith will team-up with former Arsenal ace Freddie Ljungberg after being picked in the draft by new Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise Seattle Sounders FC.

Smith, 27, was one of ten MLS players to sign for the Pacific North West side during yesterday's expansion draft, bringing an end to his four-year stay with New England Revolution.

The free agent hailed the move as a "new beginning" and said he was excited about becoming team-mates with ex-Sweden skipper Ljungberg and former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who have been brought in to add experience to the Sounders' dressing room for their debut campaign.

"Although they're a new franchise they've already shown they intend to be competitive by signing Freddie Ljungberg," said the Bermuda international, who spoke to The Royal Gazette moments after the draft was announced.

"He was instrumental for Arsenal a few years ago and he's only 31 and so has plenty left in the tank.

"They've also brought in Kasey Keller, who has bags of Premier League experience, and it's exciting to be part of something new.

"I knew the Revs were not going to protect me in the draft as I was out of contract and that enabled Seattle Sounders to pick me up. I probably needed a fresh start and this is a new beginning for me."

Although Smith admitted it would be a wrench to leave the Boston-based Revs and move further away from his family and friends in Bermuda, he insisted he was ready for a fresh challenge as he approaches the peak of his career.

"It's going to be tough to leave Boston where I've made so many friends, but I'm feeling positive about joining Seattle.

"Obviously it means I will have to move across the US and I will be further away from Bermuda but this is part and parcel of football.

"This is a completely new experience for me and it feels strange, but the Sounders wanted me and that's a really nice feeling.

"I've spoken with their technical director and he said he was excited to have me onboard and was looking forward to me becoming a Sounders player."

The Sounders' general manager Adrian Hanauer said: "We feel like we got a great mix of players. We got mid-tier experienced guys in Parke, Jaqua and Khano Smith. We're very excited about the young players we were able to select."

Smith made 85 appearances, scoring 8 goals, for the Revolution, and played in two successive MLS Cup finals as well as winning the SuperLiga and US Open Cup.

He officially becomes a Sounders player tomorrow – with the expansion team selecting him in the fourth round of the draft.

The other players to join the Sounders yesterday were Houston Dynamo hot-shot Nate Jaqua, Toronto FC forward Jarrod Smith, defenders Jeff Parke (New York Red Bulls), Tyson Wahl (Kansas City Wizards), James Riley (San Jose Earthquakes), and midfielders Brad Evans, (Columbus Crew), Nathan Sturgis (Real Salt Lake), Peter Vagenas (Los Angeles Galaxy) Stephen King (Chicago Fire).

The Sounders are the 15th team to join MLS and were formerly part of the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1974 to 1983 and USL-D1, the league above the Bermuda Hogges, since 1994.