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Red Bulls acquire Eckersley in trade with TFC

Richard Eckersley

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.

Comments

  1. 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.

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  2. 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)

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  3. 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 ? ? ?

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  4. 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?”

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  5. 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.

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    • *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.

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    • 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.

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  6. 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.

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    • 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.

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  7. 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?

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  8. 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 %.

    Reply

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