Simon Dawkins, the 28-year-old Jamaican-international attacking midfielder, signed a Designated Player deal with the San Jose Earthquakes last night on a free transfer from Derby County. Per team and league policy, contract details were not announced.

Dawkins endeared himself to Quakes fans from 2011-2012, when, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, he was an integral part of the "Goonies" team that won the Supporters' Shield. In 53 league appearances in MLS, he scored 14 goals from midfield. Since his stint in the US, he's played in the English Premiership with Aston Villa and the Championship with Derby, as well as making 20 appearances for the Jamaican national team.

In a conference call with reporters to discuss the signing, coach Dominic Kinnear explained that he saw Dawkins as a versatile midfielder who could play wide from either flank or through the middle, but regardless of position, a player who "puts more goals in our roster."

General Manager John Doyle also discussed the long courtship of the Tottenham academy product, saying that he "always held Simon in the highest regard as a person and a player," and that he had met with him repeatedly since 2012 in Europe and Jamaica to check in on his availability and interest in returning. By 2016, Dawkins was "hungry to play," and the transaction became an obvious one with just 6 months remaining on his Derby contract.

Both Kinnear and Doyle emphasized the importance of adding quality and competition at any position at which it becomes available, regardless of particular tactical fit. With the specter of Copa America and other international competitions over the summer, both wanted to make sure that an array of attacking options would still be available amidst the call-ups.

As for a likely tactical fit, Kinnear explained that he saw Innocent as a center forward, implying that Dawkins would most likely begin on the left wing, although the positional flexibility of both Designated Players would allow for formations beyond the flat 4-4-2 which the Quakes utilized down the stretch in the 2015 season. Kinnear seemed unworried about having just one left-footer amongst his seven potential wide players, noting that the modern game had evolved away from wingers hugging touchlines into midfielders fluidly switching flanks.

Targeted Allocation Funds were not used to complete the signing, because MLS sides are not required to be roster compliant until one week before the season begins. As such, the Quakes will review all options for fitting the four designated players on the roster, but Doyle clarified they had enough funds to keep them without making any further transactions, if that's what the club decides is best.

Beyond the Dawkins signing, Kinnear and Doyle answered other questions about the Quakes offseason plans: