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D.C. United acquire Silva from Toronto FC

Luis Silva, Chris Korb

By JUSTIN FERGUSON

With just eight goals scored in 19 MLS matches this season, D.C. United needed to bring some firepower to their struggling offense.

On Tuesday, D.C. United did just that, acquiring 24-year-old midfielder Luis Silva from Toronto FC in exchange for an undisclosed amount of allocation money. According to the club, Silva will be available for selection as early as D.C. United’s friendly on Friday with Chivas de Guadalajara.

Silva will join Nick DeLeon and Casey Townsend as current D.C. United players who were taken early in the 2012 SuperDraft. The 24-year-old UC Santa Barbara product had five goals and five assists in his rookie season, but he has not scored in the 2013 campaign.

The move will free up some space for Toronto FC, who are on the verge of adding some attacking options in the international player market.

“Luis Silva is a fine player and an outstanding young man and this was a tough decision. But we are bringing in new attacking talent this window and Luis’ playing time would likely suffer,” TFC President and GM Kevin Payne told the team website. “This move helps give us more flexibility now and for the future. We wish Luis nothing but the best.”

Silva joins a midfield stacked with young talent, including Perry Kitchen, Nick DeLeon and recently-acquired Jared Jeffrey.

What do you think of this deal? See Silva making a difference in the young midfield of D.C. United? What do you think the next step is for Toronto FC?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Great pick up by DCU! He is a difference maker like DeRo but 10 years younger. He will be a USMNT player within 2 years like when i first saw Zusi (while he was a KC reserve) and Espinoza. I wanted DCU to also trade for both before they blew up.

    Silva is a man among boys when it comes to his tactical understanding. He’s as good as Zusi but with better individual skill.

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  2. TFC interested in Riley too? Trade ya for a couple of practice balls? No? How about a couple of water bottles?

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  3. As a TFC fan I can honestly say I’m disappointed with this move. He was never properly utilized here in Toronto and can honestly see him flourishing elsewhere. Enjoy DC United!

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  4. Nice pick-up for DC, I really like him. Silva has some real potential – probably the only guy on TFC who can deliver a cutting pass in the final third (though Osorio is showing some of that).

    Was hoping they would move Califf (difficult to do) and/or Frei to free up cap space. Clearly they can’t and had to resort to Silva, one of TFCs few tradeable assets.

    Until we know what TFC picks up, it is hard to evaluate.

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  5. A good pickup considering how pitiful our DP signings have been. It’s best to stay within the league and stay away from world class players like Salihi and Rafael.

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      • that might be how Kasper spun the story, but Salihi (487,460) and Rafael (284,625) wouldve been in the same range as other overpaid players on the team

        Pajoy (205,000)
        Bmac (273,250)
        Jakovic (303,000)
        Pontius (361,000)

        i’d rather have Salihi than Pajoy or McDonald

  6. There is no part of DC United that is stacked with talent…
    Kitchen is talented and could make himself a national teamer some day soon. DeLeon is sophomore slumping. Jeffrey is completely untested. Silva may be good, but the team is far far far from stacked anywhere (including the midfield)

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  7. Classic move by TFC. Trade a player that was a high draft pick and a decent player with a short term mindset. In one/two years we will likely regret this move when we are rebuilding yet again.

    I would love nothing than to eat my own words on this one but we’ve seen this time and time again. Hopefully they can bring in Forlan and Urruti as a longer term option.

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  8. From where I sit as a TFC fan, Silva clearly has potential but is wildly inconsistent. He’s been going on runs of 5-6 games with anonymous performances for every one where he’s been a solid contributor.

    If DCU can get him comfortable and focused, this could be a real steal. But otherwise, I have to say he’s starting to drift away from what we all thought he’d be when he entered the league.

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    • well the allocation money will help but I feel like TFC could have got more from this deal, a draft pick at least.

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