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Red Bulls eyeing deals

Dave Van Den Bergh (ISIphotos.com) 

                                                  Photo by ISIphotos.com

The New York Red Bulls have been among the busier teams this weekend, trying to secure some deals before the MLS Draft and now two of their midfielders could be on the move.

According to multiple sources, the Red Bulls could be set to deal both Dutch winger Dave Van Den Bergh and midfielder Mike Magee in seperate trades. No official word has surfaced yet but signs point to Van Den Bergh potentially being involved in a deal to FC Dallas. The Hoops have reportedly been in search of a veteran left winger and Red Bulls director Jeff Agoos and FC Dallas general manager Michael Hitchcock were seen having discussions on Sunday night .

So why would the Red Bulls deal Van Den Bergh when he is coming off a stellar season?

Sources tell me the club is reluctant to pay him the approximately $270K a season he is seeking. Van Den Bergh earned that amount in 2008, but the Red Bulls only paid half of it because Kansas City paid the other half as a condition of the original trade that sent Van Den Bergh to New York.

What could FC Dallas give for Van Den Bergh? Dallas boasts a surplus of forwards as well as a deep stable of quality young players. The Hoops also hold three picks in the top 18 of the MLS Draft, a draft considered to be a deep one.

Magee is the other Red Bull who could be on the move, with Los Angeles the most likely destination. At least one other MLS team has expressed an interest in Magee but an LA move appears most likely, assuming any deal is completed. Magee is currently out of contract and would essentially have to agree to contract terms for a deal to be completed.

What do you think about the Red Bulls potentially dealing both Van Den Bergh and Magee? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Typical of this Franchise. They never miss an opportunity to make a bad trade. Their bad trades certainly out-number their good ones.

    The Red Bulls/Metrostars proved that when you perpetually change the roster consistency is lost. Houston, DC and New England keep a consistent roster, they are always at the top the table. Keep Dave and Mike Red Bulls!

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  2. Ives,

    As Eugene T says, supposedly the deal is done. Any news on what else is coming NY’s way and where NY plans to play Oduro — on the left wing or up top?

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  3. Ah yes more of those magical signings like last summer… They were sooo wonderful.

    Posted by: gsh | January 12, 2009 at 02:06 PM

    We signed anyone from central/south America in the area of $275k a year last year? Who?

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  4. Word from 3rd Degree is that Oduro for VDB is confirmed. No news on what else is coming RBNY’s way besides the speedy forward.

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  5. “So why would the Red Bulls deal Van Den Bergh when he is coming off a stellar season?”

    He was getting too good. This is what NYRB does. How are they supposed to maintain their reputation as one of MLS’ big losers if they hold on to good players?

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  6. Like many others I am nauseated… VDB was one of the best players RBNY had last year. I know he is getting older but he earned a salary increase with his play last year. If I were making the moves I would ditch P-vallo and give VDB the $.

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  7. I’m starting to get the same rollercoaster feeling in my stomach that I had last preseason. This is like the Agoos & JCO special… big helpings of nausea.

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  8. IMA ALLL FOR IT can we get rocha for DVB???? or the guy ODDO or what ever his name is…. IM ALL FOR IT and magee for RANDALPH!!!!

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  9. Unless they have magic trick up their sleeve we don’t know about, it seems like they are doing everything they can to have a half empty new stadium. They dump money guaranteed contracts for GARBAGE like Pietravallo, then throw away fan favorites like VDB.

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  10. Ives,

    What is being offered for Van den Bergh or Magee? With Van den Bergh, if Agoos messes this up we will have his head by the end of the season. I think VDB is core to NY and trading him is very dangerous because there are not many left wings that can step in and do the job he does. He doesn’t beat defenders with pace, but his tactical knowledge and positioning are excellent. He plays both ways and contributes a lot to defense, which Rojas does not, and VDB’s crosses are excellent. Plus he works well with Angel.

    There is no player in this draft that is worth HALF of VDB, so trading for draft picks would be extremely foolish.

    Of Dallas’ players, Brek Shea, Dominic Oduro, Eric Avila, Drew Moor, these guys are interesting, but none can replace VDB at left wing. Serioux would be interesting if there is a 4-way deal to send Serioux to Toronto with Conde coming to NY, although that seems very complicated and unlikely.

    With Magee, I think he is just fine where he is, so if LA wants him, they should really pay up to get him. Magee did well last year after recovering from injury and I believe he could do better this year.

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  11. “could we not get much better in central/south America”

    Ah yes more of those magical signings like last summer… They were sooo wonderful.

    Posted by: gsh | January 12, 2009 at 02:06 PM

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

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  12. NO, NO, NO. If the Red Bulls are so desperate and CHEAP, I’ll be glad to kick in for DVB’s salary. He was definitely the bright spot of last season. C’mon guys, this is precisely why we’re a second rate team!!

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  13. mls needs to allow guys who are out of contract to be free agents…and while theyre at it…get rid of the discovery claims process

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  14. okay, vdb was probably our best player last year(you can argue angel was). he definately earned his paycheck and should be rewarded for his performance. I know the red bulls want to save money giving the situation where they were paying half his salary for the past two seasons but can we really rely on rojas on the left. I actually like rojas but i believe he is better suited in the middle. if we deal vdb, we can’t replace him unless agoos and osorio have something up their sleeves(i sure hope they do). maybe osorio and agoods have a DP in mind they want to bring in where vdb would take up the much needed cap room.i think vital vdb is key to our success but if he’s gets traded then best of luck to him and i hope we get quality in return.

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  15. Van Den Bergh was definitely the team MVP last year, but $275k is getting close to the $400k DP cap hit. Hopefully this means they are clearing cap space for a DP. New York is the kind of market that can attract a quality DP, hopefully we see a big signing this year!

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  16. While I hate the idea of our team without Van Den Bergh, I’ll try and look at the brighter side. If he goes, it could mean more of a shift to a more balanced attack. Even though VDB was vital and created so many of our goals, it usually was just giving it to him and have him cross it in to Angel and hoping. Remember Angel at some point last year was quoted as not being entirely happy with our style of attacking? I’m sure it had to do with this. Yes VDB worked, but it was our only effective style and we relied on it too heavily at times. Remember when first Reyna and then Rojas were both supposed to be our answer to a creative central mid to really get the attack moving.. both have not worked out… (notice Ives I did not say A-Mid 🙂 ),

    Anyways, I think that if this forces the FO to try and find a solution that does work, a more creative and balanced attack could do wonders not only for making a more enjoyable offense to watch, but a more effective one as well!

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  17. “could we not get much better in central/south America”

    Ah yes more of those magical signings like last summer… They were sooo wonderful.

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  18. I kinda understand the “he’s 32 argument,” but this is the MLS. If there is a young player who is truly exceptional, he’ll be gone in 2-3 years anyway.

    I think the idea is to hope you can find someone who has 50% of VDB’s skill, and then pay him 20% of VDB’s salary.

    They really need to scrap the salary cap, or at least drastically increase it. It is just stupid to have to constantly lower the quality of teams because the fact that you were lowballing someone the previous year has caught up with you.

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  19. The reason some clubs are successful year after year is their ability to retain a “core” set of players (look at the Revs and Houston). Constant turn over in players is NOT the answer. DVB is (at least in my humble opinion) a core player on the NJRB team.

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  20. I have no qualms with anyone being traded.

    Come on, except for Angel, we’re talking about fairly average to mediocre players. And for that kind of salary ($275k range), could we not get much better in central/south America? I think so.

    Let the dealing begin and let’s hope for better than last year.

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  21. Rojas does’nt have the speed to get back and forth on the left wing. And the few times he played there last year proved that. He was not a factor in the game what so ever. The middle suits him best from what we saw of him last season. I’m pretty torned on the DVB move cuz he is getting up there in age, theres always a gamble when u tak a college kid, over a seasoned pro. We want to win a championship this year, and we know what DVB can do and bring to the table. I just pray that the Agoos and JCO make the right decission.

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  22. Whatever for Magee. Kandji needs more time anyway. And has anyone figured out his contract situation post-Atlanta?

    As for vdB, initial reaction is “this sucks”, but if RB can pull off a Jason Kidd for Devin Harris type deal (quality veteran past his prime for an underrated younger player), then I’m cool with it.

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  23. “Magee is currently out of contract and would essentially have to agree to contract terms for a deal to be completed.”

    Um, isn’t this the case with Dave VDB also?

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  24. hello!! $2 million salary cap…which means really only 1.6 million once you take JPA out of the equation. Plus, we have another DP spot waiting…if we fill that…1.2 million would be available for roughly another 20 people. The math doesn’t work out if keep Dave VDB…unfortunately! He was our best player last year.

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  25. Amit,

    RB could afford to pay Van Den Bergh $2.7 million if they wanted to. They just made a decision that he is not a good value for the money.

    Now if his name was Van Den Rodriguiz, Red Bulls would make him a DP.

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  26. could this mean that Rojas slides over to the left mid spot?

    dax macarthy and their highest draft pick this year sounds fair to both teams. use that draft pick on the best available defender.

    with the galaxy sitation i think Magee for Randloph sounds fair. We need as many bodies as we could use in the back and Randloph shows some promise

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  27. He was the team’s MVP in 2008 in my opinion. Not having him back is going to be a big blow for us…i normally would cuss a storm but i just cant even muster up anymore outrage these days.

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  28. Van Den Bergh sending in crosses to Kenny Cooper’s head makes sense for Dallas. Though, Van Den Bergh needs to go back to Holland to work on his accent, it’s just freaky that he has absolutely no accent.

    A young creative midfielder like Avila makes sense for RB. Also, a speedy forward like the “Birdman” Oduro could also work. Oscar Etchiviery is just not cutting it.

    And although RB fans are fond for John Wolynic, his grad total of ZERO GOALS during the regular season is not going to help RB.

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  29. I’d actually pay another team to take Magee. But I think I’d at the very least negotiate with VDB, try to talk him down to $240k or so. It’s a lot of money but he was also irreplaceable last year.

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  30. If they can pull this off, this might be one of the smartest things Metro/Red Bulls have ever done. VDB is what, 32…33? The Red Bulls need to get deep, and to pick up a young pro player (who is on the cusp of regular time) would be a coup. Plus, you save some cash. Who are we talking about, Ives? If we’re talking an Eric Avila, full speed ahead.

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  31. “Give the man the money he deserves. He earned it.”

    Shane… but why, when we have a world class talent like Rojas to step right into that left mid spot and wow us with his work rate!

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  32. This league sucks. When a team has a sponsor like Red Bull, it shouldn’t have to be reluctant to pay a talented player $270K per year. Can’t wait for the CBA to expire.

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  33. If the Red Bulls actually want to build a Championship caliber team to continue to compete for championships, why would you trade one of your most consistent players?? He worked so well with JPA, and that is something you can continue to build on. Give the man the money he deserves. He earned it.

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  34. UGH! I don’t want to see Dave go, he was awesome this season. If he leaves there is the possibility of a DP for the upcoming season (Morientes or some other ex-star from Europe) and it’s probably going to happen in one way or another if Dave leaves. I just hope the Red Bulls’ front office plays this one right, I won’t be interested on seeing them play if they sell off all their talent.

    Reply

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