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TFC acquire Crew speedster Oduro, send Rey to Columbus

Dominic Oduro,Jeremy Hall

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By DAN KARELL

Toronto FC made a move on Friday that bolstered their hopes to make a playoff run this fall.

The Canadian club traded for Columbus Crew winger/forward Dominic Oduro, sending Spanish winger Alvaro Rey to the Crew in the deal. Oduro gives TFC a blazing fast option on the wing or up top, while Rey gives the Crew an experienced crosser of the ball who can improve that aspect of their attack.

Oduro broke the news of the trade before it was officially announced on his Twitter account.

“Dominic is a player that we have had our eye on for quite some time, and we are pleased to finalize this deal and bring him to Toronto FC,” said Toronto FC General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “He is a player that has a tremendous amount of speed, and adds a lot to a team’s attack. His experience in MLS is another important factor as he has proven that he can consistently score goals in this league from a variety of positions.

“Dominic is a welcomed addition to our club.”

Despite leading the team in scoring last season with 13 goals, Oduro has struggled for the Crew under head coach Gregg Berhalter, failing to score in 11 matches and six starts. The Crew’s 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake on Wednesday was the first time that the Ghanaian has played the full 90, but even then he looked out of place playing as a lone striker and only made a significant impact on a couple of occasions.

Rey signed with TFC last July and played 23 times in all competitions for the club. He had been a bit-part player this season, earning only six starts and seven appearances in the Crew’s 14 matches.

“Alvaro is a technically gifted player that we are excited to welcome to Columbus,” Berhalter said in a press release. “This agreement provides us with a player that we believe can be successful in our system of play through dynamic one-versus-one play and the ability to maintain possession in tight spaces. This move also provides us with financial flexibility for the future as we continue building our roster.”

Per the MLS Players Union, Alvaro Rey’s guaranteed compensation is $47,216 less than Oduro’s, which could give the Crew some wiggle room to sign a player or two this summer.

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What do you think of this trade? Do you think it’s a good trade for both sides? Do you see Oduro starting for TFC?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I liked Rey on TFC but he was 2nd on the depth chart behind Osorio so this made him expendable.
    I still think Colombus will like what Rey can offer.

    Reply
  2. Oduro will be an upgrade on Rey in Nelsen’s counterattacking system, wasn’t seeing many minutes under Berhalter. Columbus gets a more technically gifted player and a minor amount of cap relief. Toronto frees up an international slot since Oduro has a green card. Little bit for everybody, except for Rey, who probably isn’t likely this too much.

    Reply
  3. There is no doubt in the fact that Oduro will be starting. At his cap hit he has to be. He is now the most expensive player in our midfield, besides Michael Bradley of course.

    I completey forgot that Oduro scored 13 goals last season. This is looking like a steal for us at the moment as Oduro provides us a significant scoring threat on the wing that we currently lack and because Alvaro Rey isn’t a starter in this league. He offers great technical ability but an inability to finish off offensive moves.

    For Columbus fans you’ll soon realize that you got ripped off.

    Reply
    • getting anyone for a striker that is making $250,000 and has 0 goals in 11 games is far from getting ripped off

      Reply
  4. Rey is a creative player with pace, but makes really poor decisions at times and has shown a lot of petulance lately that did not go unnoticed by his teammates.

    Still, if the Crew can get him to commit to the system, there certainly is talent there.

    Reply
  5. there’s a reason he’s been on so many teams in MLS….he’s a 1-trick pony that will score a few goals each year but is largely ineffective….more people talk about his hair style than his ability…

    Reply
    • I don’t disagree at all.

      But I wonder if the 1 trick pony doesn’t perform some great tricks with Bradley serving him, rather than….go ahead name the previous guys.

      Reply
      • Higuan (I probably spelled it wrong). I have not watched much of Columbus lately, but from what I have heard, he is one of teh best playmakers in teh league (Bradley is a good player for sure, but is not a great playmaker).

    • MLS tends to be such a lunchpail league its fans and coaches neglect the value of variety in bench options. It is sometimes useful to have players who while not particularly skilled or industrious — the team player template — are fast, tall, or otherwise situationally useful gamechangers. Defoe runs em and maybe scores a goal, then Oduro comes after that when they’re tenderized and tired. Or you can run him at people late off a wing. He’s not a technical wizard but that might not be the need with 5 minutes left in a tie game.

      Reply
  6. Oduro has looked completely lost in Berhalter’s system and given that GB seems completely tied to it, this move makes sense. I enjoyed watching Oduro play last season and the added level of excitement his speed brought to the game, always seemed like a good dude. Hopefully The Crew spend some money on a forward who gels with Pipa and this style of play.

    Reply
    • He scored something like 15 for the Fire a few years back. The issue is more if he is better as a lone striker, a complimentary player in a two forward lineup, or a bench option. I think he is so sloppy lone striker is ditzy. I think he is serviceable for a mediocre team as a fast striker playing off a target player, as he was in Houston. Still think he’s sloppy for that role but he is productive. But TFC is a good landing pad because they will probably restore him to a more limited role of coming off the bench and soiling defenders’ shorts by running at and then by them. That is where he excels, but teams then get too excited and try and make him a starter.

      I don’t think he’s a trophy winning starter. But for the right mediocre team he’d get you 10 goals and maybe playoffs, like he did the Dynamo and Fire.

      Reply

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