By ISIphotos.com
By IVES GALARCEP and DYLAN BUTLER
Toronto's prodigal son is heading home.
Pulling off the biggest trade in its young history, Toronto FC has landed Canadian national team star and four-time MLS Cup champion Dwayne DeRosario in a trade from the Houston Dynamo. TFC acquired DeRosario from Houston for defender Julius James and an allocation sources are putting at between the $150K and $175K range (slightly more than I first reported). The teams finalized the deal on Friday.
The trade brings DeRosario back to Canada as a professional player for the first time since he played for the Toronto Lynx in 1997. In the 11 years since, DeRosario has established himself as one of the best big-game players in MLS, winning four league titles and earning MLS Cup MVP honors two times with San Jose (2001) and the Dynamo (2007).
According to sources with knowledge of the deal, DeRosario will not take up Toronto FC's designated player slot but is expected to sign a new contract which will make him a maximum non-DP salary of around $400K a season.
A native of the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, DeRosario steps into a Toronto FC midfield that already boasts Carl Robinson and Amado Guevara. he could play centrally with those two, or be slotted on the left flank.
The deal is a steal for Toronto FC considering TFC did not have to give up any of its three first-round draft picks in what most experts consider a strong and deep draft. Toronto also wasn't forced to trade a maximum allocation of $300,000. In fact, TFC still has approximately $800,000 in allocation funds as well as its designated player slot, which the club is expected to use to sign a marquee foward for next season.
“Dwayne is a player we’ve admired for quite some time. When the chance came to work with Houston to get this deal, we were obviously very happy,” TFC director of soccer Mo Johnston said in a team-released statement. “He’s a wonderful talent and I hope all of our supporters are as excited as we are that Dwayne is now a member of Toronto FC."
The trade looks like a pretty bad one for Houston on the surface, but there is logic behind the maneuver. With Bobby Boswell a very real candidate to leave now that he is out of contract, the Dynamo desperately needed a central defender to replace him and James was regarded as the best defender in the 2008 MLS Draft. James provides some speed and athleticism to a back-line that was exposed as slow in the MLS playoffs.
Perhaps more importantly, dealing DeRosario (Houston's highest-paid player in 2008 at just under $325K) and acquiring allocation money could also pave the way for the Dynamo to sign a Designated Player, most likely at the striker position, with Stuart Holden sliding into DeRosario's starting central midfield role. In fact, the Dynamo will create close to $600,000 in cap space with the deal, meaning it can fit in a designated player and still have $200,000 to sign or trade for another player as well as provide raises for some of its current players.
How can the Dynamo win this trade? If Houston brings in an impact designated player, Holden flourishes as the team's playmaker, and James develops into a standout defender, the Dynamo will have revamped an aging team that needed an infusion of talent.
Even if all that happens, Toronto isn't likely to regret dealing for DeRosario, a fan favorite in Toronto and the type of clutch veteran leader who can help steer the club to its first playoff appearance and beyond.
What do you think of the trade? Did Toronto FC get away with a steal? Think Houston sold DeRosario too cheaply? Do you see the Dynamo coming out ahead on the deal? Do you see Toronto FC being a major force in 2009? Do you like the idea of DeRosario wearing red?
Share your thoughts below.
Ulrich – I think Ives is assuming that Boswell leaves too, so you need to subtract his salary as well – I might be reading into it though.
The biggest thing for Houston is that DeRo is the only player that some Houston fans are familiar with. The way MLS is with bringing in talent from other places, I think they’ll be fine as a club. I just hope they put everything in place so that they can advance in CONCACAF.
Like other posters have mention, Houston should have gotten a draft pick as well
I would not describe Julius James as being anything special, at all. Sloppy with the ball, sloppy defending. Strong, good athlete, good in the air, but not much else.
Everyone might want to chill out on writing the Dynamo off so quickly and sticking Toronto in the playoffs. Take a look at this:
UNF POS PLAYER GP GS MIN G A C E
14 M De Rosario 39 33 2949 11 5 8 1
22 M Holden 37 25 2209 7 6 6 0
So that means a goal or assist about every 184 minutes for De Rosario and every 170 minutes for Holden. I think Houston will be fine and Toronto obviously has way more to fix than one more attacking mid can solve.
If DeRosario was making $325K and they got an allocation upwards of $150K, then they’ve only created $475K of “Cap Space,” not the $600K that you mention. That means Houston can sign the DP and have ONLY $75K left.
That’s a big different from the $200K you mention.
mo johnson is a hun!
enough said.
Mo Johnson is a hun.
enough said
And the odds on the Dynamo moving through in the knockout of the CCC just went WAAAAAAAAAAY down.
Looks like another Mexican champion. 🙁
Merry frickin’ Christmas come early!! Good day to be a TFC fan. Hopefully it’ll be a good summer in ’09 as well!
Merry frickin’ Christmas come early!! Good day to be a TFC fan. Hopefully it’ll be a good summer in ’09 as well!
I you mean Ariel Ortega formerly of River Plate, that’s not going to happen (or if it does a GM has to be an idiot). Ortega is an alcoholic who was asked to leave River and solve that problem. Any MLS team that takes a chance on him is crazy.
Never easy to lose a guy like De Rosario…
Thanks for all the memories in Houston and good luck in Toronto…
The deal looks good for Toronto and while we have yet to see what the Dynamo is going to do with the money, it is still up in the air if Houston got the short end of the stick. Dynamo did address some issues with this trade and now hopefully they got someone to come in right away. We will have to wait and see how this trade will fare for the Dynamo…
Holy Crap. Mo must have naked pictures of Houston’s front office staff with a herd of goats or something.
Never easy to lose a guy like De Rosario…
Thanks for all the memories in Houston and good luck in Toronto…
The deal looks good for Toronto and while we have yet to see what the Dynamo is going to do with the money, it is still up in the air if Houston got the short end of the stick. Dynamo did address some issues with this trade and now hopefully they got someone to come in right away. We will have to wait and see how this trade will fare for the Dynamo…
Wow this news came out of no where…I know there were some rumors about this move but I never thought it was going to happen…Huge lost for the Dynamo but Toronto and it’s fans must be super happy about this…De Ro is going to lead that team next season
Just to comment on Julius. People have been saying that he was TFC’s best centre D… that was clearly not the case. He had fallen to fourth, behind Marshall, Velez (who was gawdawful this year for us) and Harmse (who is normally a midfielder. Harmse and Marshall played the majority of minutes to close out the season.
That being said we still need someone to shore up our centre.
Robinson, Guevara, Ricketts and Rosario? I think that is the strongest midfield an MLS club can boast so far AND Toronto plans to sign a huge impact forward DP! Toronto has now become an instant playoff contender now that it looks like they have fixed thier offensive woes
Wow! Great move on both parts!
TFC benefits the most on the surface. If they end up getting Keon Daniel and a designated player, they have a lot of potential for next season. My worry would be the defense, especially if Wynne leaves.
On the surface it looks like Houston is going to struggle, but with the right moves they can be great again too. Houston has some good young players to fit in, and am impact forward could put them in great position for next year.
Unless either team can find a couple really good foreign guys, they both look set to add a DP. That’s the exciting part here. I know Anelka was probably fibbing when he said he was coming to MLS in January, but Anelka in Toronto? I wonder who Houston would go after? AHHH!! More details!!
Wow! Great move on both parts!
TFC benefits the most on the surface. If they end up getting Keon Daniel and a designated player, they have a lot of potential for next season. My worry would be the defense, especially if Wynne leaves.
On the surface it looks like Houston is going to struggle, but with the right moves they can be great again too. Houston has some good young players to fit in, and am impact forward could put them in great position for next year.
Unless either team can find a couple really good foreign guys, they both look set to add a DP. That’s the exciting part here. I know Anelka was probably fibbing when he said he was coming to MLS in January, but Anelka in Toronto? I wonder who Houston would go after? AHHH!! More details!!
Huge, so huge.
Welcome home DE RO!!!!
Cant believe im saying it!!!
Huge, so huge.
Welcome home DE RO!!!!
Cant believe im saying it!!!
This just in: RSL’s path to the playoffs in 2009 just got easier.
Is Lalas working as Houston’s GM?
So when is Ortega being announced as the newest signing for Houston? 😉
The one thing Houston definitely needed was to get faster on the backline, no doubt! That’s what got them knocked out by Richards.
I just think they could have gotten more, definitely a draft pick. They cleared a bunch of space by dropping their biggest salary while picking up allocation $, so I guess in fairness the deal shouldn’t be evaluated until after seeing who they sign.
I can’t see how Houston didn’t get hosed here. James was a top defender in the draft, but didn’t have a good season last year. Perhaps he’ll improve next season, but now Houston is taking the chance and not getting paid for it up front.
Houston is certainly going to be a different team next season without DeRo. I would have thought that they would at least grab a high 1st round draft pick or Johann Smith or both. With a high 1st round draft pick, Houston could have also picked up Ike Opara, Omar Gonzalez, Jeremy Hall or Marcus Tracy. Any of those guys would have helped and the first three wouldn’t count against the salary cap.
It’ll be interesting to see if Houston picks up a DP. With all their allocation money, Toronto can definitely still pick up a DP for next season.
Trader Mo pulls off another steal. Hard to believe that Houston got fair value here.
If TFC picks up a real finisher to benefit from Chad’s hustle, they could do some damage next season.
I also think Houston will end up ok.
Maybe that beatdown has made De La Hoya a bit crazy.
In all serious, was Dero threatening Houston with a hold out or something? When is his current contract up? Why else would they give him away for so cheap?
He had a bit of a down year, but he still is capable of being the most dominant player in the league. $150K in allocation is enough to sign a journeyman. Dero might be the most clutch performer in MLS history.
Yes, he has said he wanted to go to Canada. Yes, Im excited to see Holden run the midfield. Yes, Houston needs help in the back. But still the price is insane.
If DeRo can start producing again for for TFC then it was a steal, if not, they just spent 400K on a clutch attacking midfielder (how is Geuvara going to play with him?) and lost one of their best center backs… Wasn’t that TFC’s problem last year? LA already proved you need some semblance of a defense to make it to the playoffs no matter how good your offense is. I think Houston is going to see the better of this trade in the end.
Great news for Holden, hopefully he can step up and play great, eventually finding a role on the Nat. team, or atleast fighting for a spot for the Nats. in camps.
Works for fans of MLS and US Soccer. Holden finally gets a chance to become a star player for his club team and impress Bob. Hopefully he takes that role for at least one whole season before heading to Europe. And DeRo gets to go home to become the star player (right now) for some of the best fans in MLS.
And, it hints at and allows even more for both teams to go out and use their DP slot. Great for Holden, great for Rosario, and great for the profile of the league if these two teams can sign two good Designated Players.
Good deal for Toronto. Playoffs ’09?
I’m a houston fan and a big DeRo fan, but the trade makes some sense. The last two years DeRo really hasn’t produced (although he has always been clutch) and he’s getting up there in years. If they get a top level striker with the cap space and add some speed to the backline, I don’t think the team loses much.
Good for DeRo good for Toronto.
Holden wil probably have a break out season. Holden and Clark will play very well with each other.
Bobby Convey come home, if you are not playing. Left wing for Houston. Will pay ya 115k a year.
Sterlinho – I sure hope they do have something up their sleeves. Holden is good and all but i don’t think he’ll be around for long. He doesn’t have the obstacles most Americans have to play in England and has the desire to get back there. This deal seems so lopsided. Dero has been great to that franchise. Maybe he requested this and they let him go.
Sterlinho – I sure hope they do have something up their sleeves. Holden is good and all but i don’t think he’ll be around for long. He doesn’t have the obstacles most Americans have to play in England and has the desire to get back there. This deal seems so lopsided. Dero has been great to that franchise. Maybe he requested this and they let him go.
Great news for TFC both from the standpoint of getting stronger and as a PR move. Expect to see his face on everything BMO in the next year.
HAHAHAHA!! i’m loving this. F- houston!!!
…and they crappy west gets weaker.
DeRo is pure class and I’m pretty sure ANY team in the MLS would love to have him as a non-DP. Glad to see him playing in his home. There must be nothing better.
What?!? I don’t see how is this good for Houston, and how they didn’t get a draft pick with this deal. Yeah they got an allocation, but they have to find someone who is going to play well, and DeRo was as clutch as it gets. I would be surprised if Toronto signs a DP if they are giving him a max salary, it would be the same cap hit as 2 DP’s.
The silver lining is that DeRo really should be playing in front of the crazy Toronto fans who will worship him, and it has to mean that Houston is going to give Stuart Holden a major role in the midfield.
I’m not surprised it happened, but I am surprised if this is really all we (Houston) are getting out of it. I would have asked for a 1st round pick as well.
I don’t think it will be as big a drop-off as people think, going from DeRo to Holden. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Holden turns out to be an MLS star by the end of next season. The biggest place it hurt was in losing depth.
I hope the Dynamo have some cards up their sleeves. They’ve lost Jacqua and now DeRo. They need some offense in bad way.
I guess DeRo misses out on Spring Break in Cancun for Champions League.
Now Stuart Holden can take command in center midfield.
But Houston really needs a striker. And a left winger.
Good deal for Toronto. Playoffs ’09?
What was Houston thinking!!!!!!
Trader Mo must have some sort of wizardry…
TFC still sucks! and Dynamo just got worse, should be interesting!
I just peed myself I am so happy, DERO COMING HOME BABY!
Wow. Trader Mo at it again.
Great move for TFC. With a good DP signing they could be a beast next year.
Houston – necessary, I guess, but they definitely got the short end of the straw
and we all thought MLSINTORONTO was pulling our chain!!