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Sounders ship Rosales to Chivas USA in exchange for Bowen, No. 2 allocation ranking

Mauro Rosales

By FRANCO PANIZO

Mauro Rosales can be scratched off the list of available players in this year’s MLS Re-Entry Draft.

Chivas USA landed the 32-year-old Rosales a day before he was set to be made available in Stage 1 of the Re-Entry Draft, sending the rights to forward Tristan Bowen to the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday afternoon. The deal also included the two teams’ swapping places in next season’s allocation order, meaning the Sounders now have the No. 2 pick while the Goats own the No. 13 pick.

“Chivas is the team that has trusted me to help with what I’ve done in my last club, Seattle,” Rosales said in a statement released by Chivas USA. “Obviously I’m grateful for that confidence, and what the team is giving and betting on for next season.

“What (Chivas) wants to have next season is a great team and to get to the playoffs, which is something that everyone wants.”

The winner of the 2011 MLS Newcomer of the Year award, Rosales spent the previous three seasons with the Sounders. The Argentine veteran scored four goals and had eight assists for Seattle in 2013.

“Mauro has been an important part of our organization, both on and off the field, for the past three years,” said Sounders owner and general manager Adrian Hanauer in a statement released by the club. “It will be difficult to see him leave, but our salary cap situation made this decision necessary. We wish Mauro the very best at Chivas.”

Bowen, 22, had a career high 22 appearances and 15 starts for Chivas USA in 2013. He scored two goals and added two assists.

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What do you think of Chivas USA’s acquisition of Morales? See him thriving there next season? Fond of the move on the Sounders’ behalf?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Wow. Seattle has really headed South. He was their best player. I believe he played the most minutes on their team this year and would have played more if their coach didn’t start inexplicably taking him out of games and then eventually benching him. Seattle’s quality was lacking when he wasn’t on the field in the playoffs. It’s gonna be a long year for them next year.

    Reply
    • He will be missed, but in a salary cap league he had to go.
      BTW he played the 7th most minutes, but you can’t really read much into that because of all the injuries the team had.
      I just wish sigi had started him in the last game.

      Reply
    • I am not going to argue with you on whether he was there best player, it doesn’t matter. He was very valuable, our offense was not good without his assists.

      The problem was he just wasn’t good enough to win it all any more. His production was way off as reflected in his assists. The numbers did NOT lie.

      Time for a change. I am looking for Rosales…of two and three years ago.

      Reply
      • Agreed, the team was better with him in but the reason for that is because everyone else sucked. Rosales has lost a step, yes, but he’s also lost some accuracy. 8 assists last year but on a per 90 basis that was actually pretty low. Sounders need decent outside mids, and afraid Rosales isn’t one of them anymore.

  2. I always get confused about allocations in this league, but is this Seattle positioning itself for a potential Parkhurst return to MLS?

    Reply
  3. Bowen (assuming he sticks) should be useful enough as a rotation guy, so it’s something for a guy that was gone anyway.

    Won’t get terribly excited over the allocation spot. Had it last year, never used it (since MLS told us DPs don’t go through allocation. Could be useful next summer if some guys decide to come post-WC.

    Reply
  4. I liked Bowen but Rosales is without a doubt the much better player. Not happy giving up the 2nd draft pick though. Hope we keep torres

    Reply
  5. Fairly good move for both parties I think, that number 2 spot in allocation is important. Rosales had clearly lost a step or two and didn’t really fit into Seattle’s plans anymore but could help out Chivas. Bowen is just a throw in, doubt he has much value to Seattle

    Reply
  6. I was always a big fan of Rosales, but between his injuries and salary the move makes sense. Let’s see who they can get with their higher allocation ranking.

    Reply

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