Top Stories

BREAKING- Crew trade Duka to Fire for Oduro

By IVES GALARCEP

The Columbus Crew made no secret of their desire to part ways with young midfielder Dilly Duka, and now the team has pulled off the deal to ship off the out-of-favor midfielder.

The Crew are trading Duka to the Chicago Fire for forward Dominic Oduro, sources confirmed to SBI on Friday.

The trade sends Columbus a speedy forward option in Oduro, who endured a subpar 2012 season, scoring six goals, just a season after leads the Fire with 12 goals.

Duka, 23, leaves the Crew after a roller-coaster 2012 season that saw him leave the club before the end of the season. He finished the year with two assists in 20 appearances and never quite played up to the potential he flashed in 2011, when he showed signs of being the player Columbus thought they were drafting as a first-round pick in 2010.

Now Duka joins a Fire squad that needs some help on the left flank. He should be a strong contender for minutes after the departure of Alvaro Fernandez.

For Oduro, 27, the moves sends him to his fifth MLS team in eight seasons. One of the fastest players in MLS, Oduro has struggled with his finishing since entering the league, but the Crew will be banking on him being the speed option in a forward stable that includes Jairo Arrieta and rookie Ryan Finley, as well as playmaker/second forward Federico Higuain.

What do you think of the trade? Who do you think got the better end of the deal?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. This guy is freaking terrible.
    0 soccer IQ.
    0 workrate on both sides of the ball.
    0 physical tools.
    Ready to waive.

    Reply
  2. There’s a rumour saying the Fire also got the rights to Robbie Rogers in the deal, if soo absolute big time fleece. Can’t blame Rogers for not wanting to return to Columbus to tip cows. I can see him jumping on the first plane to Chicago and playing for a reasonable salary for them

    Reply
    • I really hope that part of the deal is true. Oduro wasn’t much use to the Fire lately, but I still had a soft spot for the guy. Getting Robbie’s rights though…

      Reply
    • Hope the Crew didn’t really give the Fire Duka and Rogers’ rights in exchange for Orduro, unless Warzycha also demanded tickets to see the Fire play in MLS cup. It is too bad Warzycha alienates so many young players, as the Crew needs these guys to develop and not leave at the first opportunity.

      Reply
  3. Good for all parties. Chicago getting a player with loads of potential. My guess is the falling out was part Duka, part Warzchya. It’s becoming a trend, which usually means the coach is part of the problem.

    Reply
    • With as many players as Columbus has had I would say it is mainly coach and the front office. Players have nothing bad to say about each other ever, just bobby and the Front office. McCullers has his ‘yes man’ in Bobby so I don’t see things changing for a while unfortunately.

      Reply
  4. Higuan will be able to create loads of chances for Oduro. Of course, Dom will squander most of them and be offside twice a game, but with Higuain’s passing he’ll still probably score 12 goals or so.

    Reply
  5. Man, I wonder if the Fire also sold them the Brooklyn Bridge on this one. Good move on their part and bonus points assuming the Crew are taking on Oduro’s contract.

    Reply
    • This is all a matter of perspective, and maybe a case of the grass is greener.

      According to the Columbus Dispatch, “No other players were involved in the deal, although it is not clear if the league helped offset a difference in salaries between the players. Duka’s guaranteed compensation for 2012 was $243,000, while Oduro’s was $108,880.”

      Sounds like the Fire if anyone are the ones getting burned on this.

      Reply
    • Have you noticed that Duka makes 2x as much a year as Oduro? And besides which, our idiot coach couldn’t make Duka happy enough. Duka has a lot of potential… but some attitude too, which, if he can temper it, will suit him well in being a great player. Or, he could be the next Danny Szetela. We will see what happens.

      Reply
      • Obviously I wasn’t aware of Duka’s salary. I am aware of Oduro’s shortcomings and coupled with his salary this is a GOOD move for the Fire. In this case paying top dollar for a younger player is a better move for the Fire than one who should have matured into one this league’s better forwards instead of a constant flash in he plan.

      • Actually the hold up for the trade was negotiating his new salary so he won’t be making as much. I like the Fire’s offseason, Duka if he lives up to his potential its a great move. I wish we got rid of Pause though and we need a goal scorer up top.

      • I realize that Oduro was very streaky however when our leading goal scorer only scores 8 goals you have to wonder where the goals are going to come from. Oduro scored 12 goals not 2 years ago. I like acquring Duka but not at the expensive of a bonafide striker whos shown the abitily to score goals on a team sorely lacking that ability.

  6. As a Fire fan, saw this coming after the negotiations at Super Draft. Could be a good move for the Fire – we have no one on the left, and teams clearly had figured out the Oduro problem at the end of 2011. Hoping Duka fulfills his potential in Chitown, but a little bit sad to see Oduro leave. Good guy.

    Reply
      • Heavy on central mids. Not wingers. The Fire really only had one starting calibur winger in Nyarko. Alex, Lindpere, Pause, Lawro, Vidieri, Paladini, Bone are all central mids. Atouba and King are probably not going to be able to field heavy minutes, Atouba easily won’t make the team even. Wells Thompson stinks. Pineda is injured. It makes sense, but does leave them a bit thin up top.

      • You’re underestimating Atouba, He will surpirze a few a round. Considering he has performed at a stage no one else of the drafted players this year had when he was the player that lead Cameroon to the quarter final off the World Youth Cup a coupl of years ago.

  7. Oduro wasn’t happy in Chicago anymore. Duka wasn’t happy in Columbus anymore. Chicago got something they very much needed in wing depth, plus Oduro had fallen another rung down the depth chart with Maicon Santos arriving. Columbus got a decent impact sub with the potential to score a lot of goals, especially with superior creative service from Higuain, something Oduro didn’t have in Chicago once Grazzini left. This moves makes a lot of sense.

    Reply
  8. I thought Duka would become of the breakout stars last season… Hopefully he gets his head straight, stays healthy, and lives up to his potential.

    Reply

Leave a Comment