DC United midfielder Freddy Adu has been traded along with the rights to goalkeeper Nick Rimando to Real Salt Lake. DC United in return receives a major allocation, the rights to goalkeeper Jay Nolly and future considerations. United also will get a share of replacement allocation money if he were to be transferred to Europe.
Adu in 3 seasons at United had 11 goals to go along with 17 assists in 87 appearances.
Real Salt Lake get a player who may not be around come this summer but will certainly bring attention to a franchise that is desperate to get a soccer stadium built in Salt Lake City. Adu recently trained with Manchester United in England which makes one consider United’s interest as potentially be more commercial than strictly about Adu’s abilities.
His former coach Peter Nowak at DC United has made it clear that Freddy’s best move would be to Holland if he goes to Europe and who is to argue that?
Nowak made Adu a part of his starting lineup mainly on the left side this year which is not Adu’s best postion nor preferred position.
But as an an attacking midfielder on United Adu is definetly behind Argentine and league MVP Christian Gomez who recently was rewarded with a new contract.
Freddy will create excitement in Salt Lake, play a role he prefers and come under the guidance of John Ellinger who he is familiar with. But the reality is as quickly as Freddy heads to Salt Lake he may be gone this summer to Europe.
DC United trade Adu
December 11, 2006 3 Comments
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If I recall correctly, RSL traded some allocation money to Toronto FC to get Jason Kreis back; throw in the trade of a major allocation for Adu (I am assuming this is not the designated player slot) AND foregoing any replacement allocation money when Adu goes off to Europe and it seems to me that if RSL doesn’t make good with the current roster then they will have limited ability to reload with allocations. This seems like more of a marketing trade for RSL than a soccer one. Rimando is an upgrade over Garlick in my opinion so that helps but RSL seems overloaded with offensive types like Cunningham, Kreis, Adu – I just can’t see that working without better midfield play which is what RSL probably needs more talent at.
Much ” Adu” about nothing. Adu delivered little to MLS for all the build up and hype.
His small frame and lack of blazing speed were evident as MLS defenders consistently took him off the ball.
Real Salt Lake doesn’t need gimmick to sell seats, one of the better drawing teams in the league at home.
If any foreign teams want to sign him, MLS should take the money and run!!
He’s better than people are making him out to be. In the games I’ve witnessed him play, it’s easy to forget he’s only 17….remember that, he’s only 17 and people are critiquing him as if he’s 25. For any 17 year old to be able to old his own with MLSers is very impressive. And I believe the reason RSL is taking is three-fold:
1) Adu will excel at his natural position of center-mid and will help instill an aura of confidence that RSL still needs.
2) Publicity – Checketts and company need to get this stadium built, and the more butts they can get in the stands the more vialbe it makes the team look. Knowing they’ll only have Adu for a few months means a higher demand to see him, meaning a higher demand for tickets, meaning a higher average attendance, meaning ammo for RSL to have in its continued talks with the city (I wouldn’t be surprised if Garber pushed these two teams to make this trade for this reason alone).
3) The league just upped the amount a team will get from a transfer fee of one of it’s own players. Considering Adu will more than likely garner the largest tranfer fee in league history, this will give RSL a decent amount of cash that will make-up for the allocation money they’ve lost in trades and will also have a DP slot to play with. And if you’re thinking the extra cash doesn’t matter because there is a salary cap, you’re wrong. Garber just clarified that teams have salary budgets rather than a league-wide salary cap. So if a team does have more money in it’s budget from mechanisms such as the transfer fee compensation, a team can use all of that money. This could turn into a rather ingenious move for Ellinger.
Finally, I’m amused at “If” any foreign team wants him….seriously, if? There are already a number of teams that want him, so it’s not about “if”, it’s about the biggest transfer amount that the league can get. Adu may be the first player in MLS history that commands a true transfer fee war between foreign clubs…so no, MLS should not sell Adu to the first bidder, there will be plenty of others waiting.