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By IVES GALARCEP
INDIANAPOLIS– The Colorado Rapids have been looking to move midfielder Jeff Larentowicz for some time and have no completed a trade that will make them even busier at the 2013 MLS Draft.
Sources have confirmed to SBI that the Rapids are trading Larentowicz and the No. 30 pick in the draft to the Chicago Fire for the No. 11 pick in the 2013 MLS Draft and $75,000 in allocation money.
The deal is the latest major off-season trade for Chicago, which landed midfielder Joel Lindpere earlier this winter from the New York Red Bulls.
The trade, coupled with a trade they are set to complete with Toronto FC for the No. 1 pick in the draft, will now give Colorado the No. 1 and No. 11 picks in the first round. They are expected to select U.S. Under-20 central defender Walker Zimmerman with the first overall selection.
Larentowicz became expendable in a Rapids midfield that now features Martin Rivero, Jamie Castrillon and Hendry Thomas. He joins Omar Cummings and Conor Casey as key members of the 2010 MLS Cup-winning Rapids team to leave Colorado this off-season.
The trade looks like a steal for the Fire, but sources tell SBI that the Rapids took the deal over other sweeter deals in order to accommodate Larentowicz’s preference to go to Chicago.
What do you think of the trade? Think the Fire got a steal? Like the idea of the Rapids making aggressive moves to re-shape their roster?
Share your thoughts below.