By IVES GALARCEP
The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake may be Western Conference rivals, but that isn’t stopping them from becoming familiar trade partners.
A month after completing the deal to send Will Johnson to Portland, the Timbers and RSL have made another deal, with Real Salt Lake acquiring the rights to forward Robbie Findley from Portland, sources confirmed to SBI on Tuesday.
It is unclear at the moment what RSL traded to Portland for Findley’s rights, though it is likely to be allocation money or a draft pick. Portland acquired Findley’s rights after selecting him in the 2011 MLS Expansion Draft.
Findley left Real Salt Lake after the 2010 season and has spent the past two years playing for Nottingham Forest. Injuries and a lack of playing time have turned the move into a disappointing one, but RSL will be banking on Findley returning to the form that helped lead the club to the 2009 MLS Cup title.
Findley scored 29 goals in four seasons with RSL, with the best year being his 12-goal campaign during the team’s 2009 championship season.
Jason Kreis will be banking on Findley forming a good partnership with Alvaro Saborio, who should work well with the speedy Findley.
What do you think of this development? See Findley doing well playing alongside Saborio? Still hoping RSL has more signings up their sleeve?
Share your thoughts below.