Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAN KARELL
After adding centerback Armando last week, the New York Red Bulls shored up another position of need in a trade on Monday with Toronto FC.
The Red Bulls acquired right back Richard Eckersley from TFC in exchange for a fourth round selection in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, announced both clubs. Eckersley, 24, spent the last three seasons with TFC, making 72 appearances with 70 starts. The trade is pending Eckersley passing a physical and the acquisition of his P-1 Visa.
“We were impressed with Richard’s play at Toronto FC and are delighted to acquire him. He has a good soccer brain and is an energetic defender who can also provide positive attacking qualities on the flanks,”Andy Roxburgh, the Red Bulls sporting director said in a statement. “Richard will immediately provide another solid and versatile option for us on our backline and will certainly compete for a starting role on our team.”
Eckersley is expected to push Kosuke Kimura for playing time at the right back position, replacing Brandon Barklage, who split time with Kimura last season. Eckersley missed a large amount of the 2013 Major League Soccer season with recurring hamstring injury, making just 16 appearances in total.
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What do you think of this news? Like the signing? Do you think Eckersley can start opening day?
Share your thoughts below.
The real question: Is he even worth 150k?
I would suspect within the next few weeks TFC will also be trading Bright Dike for allocation money and announcing the buy down of Laba’s contract to keep him as a non-DP.
The red bulls can’t scream salary cap when they know the contract stipulations for this player. It seems he is the next cooper, holgersson, espindola, Heath pierce ( gone because of high salary)
Not if TFC is picking up a nice piece of his salary. If they were able to get him for net $150K, then this can work out nicely.
All players who have been here 1-2 years and contributed.
Still waiting to be excited about this team this offseason. The trial players seem to be better options than the players brought on with contracts. Funny but every year it is the same questions: who is going to unlock defenses, who is going to score, is our defense good enough ? ? ?
The summer. Probably working on a DP signing of a central midfielder in July/August post WC.
2013 Supporters Shield winners make strong off season move for.. Continuity… while adding in areas of need. Good off – season.
trades in MLS …lol..
Why in the world was Eckersley making so much in the first place. What’s in his pedigree that screams, “pay me a huge chunk of your cap?”
United.
It must be wonderful to be an English footballer. Not only are you grossly overpaid by your own league without being any good, but you can go to foreign leagues and get overpaid there too.
If I understand correctly, it was a back-loaded contract where the big salary hit came this year.
Reason: Paul Mariner.
He has only played a handful of games above League One. The average League One salary is maybe $100k-$120k. $400k is an incredible contract for this guy.
Seems like it could play out to be a savvy acquisition and provide depth in the back. Nonetheless, I still would have preferred to see Kimura traded over Barks.
Toronto FC only made this move for cap relief.
Good job by the Red Balls picking him up.
*Excessive cap relief.
Eckersley is a good player. By no means is he worth anywhere near what he was being paid. He has already been replaced with 2 RBs (Orr/Richter) at a fraction of the salary.
Empire of Soccer reports that RBNY will be on the hook for only $100K-$150K of a total salary hit of >$400K.
How did this guy score that contract? Must have a great agent! He seems to be decent by MLS standards, but this would mean he is basically on DP wages, one of the higher paid players in the league. His club pedigree prior to TFC is pretty weak as well.
Red bull should go for jozy. Get him a 2 year contract n then let him go after he gets game and more game. Where else can he go, i always thought he did a bad move by going to a sinking Epl team. Jozy and johansson in AZ would have been great for USA.
No. Atleast not if you are a nats fan.
We’re all for making the MLS better but not at the cost of the US national team. Send out our best player to the best leagues, if they cannot get game time fine go somewhere else but if there is a better league out there willing to take them its vastly supeior situation.
also by better league I mean better players.
CLUB over country. ALWAYS
Even at a healthy discount – is he much of an upgrade over Barkledge?
Obviously haven’t seen a ton of TFC, but was not impressed at all by what I saw of this character. Little to no service . . . . does his non american status mean he is less prone to receive the hair dryer treatment from Thierry?
Decent defender; massive salary.
As per reports TFC will pick up some chunk of his salary, seems like a low risk high reward investment if all we’re giving up is some % of his salary and a 4th rounder. All depends on that %.
what happened to Conor Lade?
He isn’t good enough, especially not as a defender.
He’s not that great at defense.
He’s small.
He’s not a right-sided player.
He’s the same size as Roberto Carlos. I don’t think it’s his size, he just isn’t good.