Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By JUSTIN FERGUSON
As Fredy Montero’s move to Sporting Lisbon inches closer to completion, fans in Seattle learned Thursday what the Sounders will not get in exchange for the striker—allocation money.
Speaking to reporters after the team’s practice on Thursday, Seattle general manager Adrian Hanauer said it was unlikely that the club would get allocation money out of Montero’s sale to the Portuguese club.
“The way the rules have been structured in the past, there would have been almost no chance of getting allocation money,” Hanauer told The Seattle Times. “It’s only a slight nuance to the rule that, to be honest, I’m not sure is something that’s even been publicly disseminated that might have given us some hope. So I was never particularly confident that we would get allocation money, and I think it’s just becoming a little more clear that we’ll likely not get allocation money.”
Hanauer said that if the Sounders do not get allocation money, they will get cash, which they can “convert into the product.” He also said that not getting allocation from the Montero deal was not a factor in the club’s decision-making process.
Allocation money can be used by clubs to sign players new to MLS, to re-sign an existing MLS player or to “buy-down” a player’s salary budget charge below the league’s cap.
Here are some more stories from around the league:
RAPIDS SIGN KLUTE TO PERMANENT DEAL
One of the most valuable players for the Colorado Rapids so far this season can now call Dick’s Sporting Goods Park his permanent home.
Left back Chris Klute, who has been on loan to the Rapids from the NASL’s Atlanta Silverbacks since September 2012, was signed to Colorado on a permanent basis on Thursday. The 23-year-old Texan has started the last 16 matches for the Rapids and leads the team with five assists.
“The success Chris has been able to achieve during his time in Colorado doesn’t surprise me one bit,” Silverbacks technical director Eric Wynalda told the team website. “He’s extremely talented and has an enormous future, and I think we should all get used to hearing the name Chris Klute. This is only the beginning for him.”
Klute got his chance to shine for the Rapids in March, coming on for an injured Diego Calderon against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Since that match, Klute has started in every single Rapids league match and has only been subbed off twice.
CHIVAS USA ACQUIRE GUADALAJARA FORWARD TORRES ON LOAN
The ever-changing roster of Chivas USA has gotten a boost thanks to the signing of a top young player from their sister club.
On Wednesday, Chivas USA announced the acquisition of Erick “Cubo” Torres from Chivas de Guadalajara on a loan deal. The 20-year-old Mexican forward is currently training with the Goats in Philadelphia ahead of Friday’s match at PPL Park.
“Erick’s arrival is very important to Chivas USA as he will strengthen an area of the team that most needs it,” head coach Jose Luis Real told the team website. “He’s a different and highly experienced player. He’s a young forward who made his debut at age 17 and who has always proven himself to be a player with a very bright future. Mentally he is very strong and positive, and that’s what we need in a center forward at Chivas.”
Torres made his debut for the Liga MX club in 2010, scoring against Monterrey. In 2013, Torres played in matches for the senior team before joining Guadalajara’s U-20 playoff campaign.
On the international level, the forward was part of Mexico’s third-place finish at the 2011 U-20 World Cup and the country’s 2012 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying victories.
TFC’S KOEVERMANS OUT WITH CALF INJURY
After missing almost a year of action with an ACL tear, Toronto FC designated player Danny Koevermans is now back on the injury list.
The 34-year-old Dutch forward, who returned last month from an injury suffered in July 2012, will miss two to four weeks with a calf tear, according to TFC head coach Ryan Nelsen. Koevermans suffered the tear during training earlier this week.
“It’s nothing major, but it’s enough to keep him out for a bit,” Nelsen told SportsNet. “I feel really bad for Danny because he’s coming back from (an injury) and there’s nothing more frustrating than this.”
In addition to a four-minute stint in his return to action against Philadelphia on June 1, Koevermans has made one start and two additional appearances off the bench so far this season. Since signing with Toronto in July 2011, Koevermans has scored 17 goals in just 22 starts.
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What do you think of these reports? Surprised to see the Sounders not able to get allocation money from a sale of Montero? Excited to see Klute stay with the Rapids on a permanent basis? Think Torres can make a difference for Chivas USA?
Share your thoughts below.
As a former ATLien, I can’t tell you how proud I am of Klute. And now having read about his backstory about how he was discovered by Wynalda from the Silverbacks RESERVE team, kinda makes me wonder…damn…my intramural soccer team that played at Silverbacks stadium once had a guy from the Silverbacks reserves on it…I COULD’VE MADE IT TO THE RAPIDS!!!! 😉
It was unreasonable for the Sounders to expect to get allocation money from a sell-on deal. They are not the Galaxy. I’m sure that’s clearly spelled out in the league rules.
+1
BOOM, roasted.
Maybe not allocution moneys, but most certainly cash in hand for the Sounders ownership…..And, yes, had it been the Galaxy or Red Bulls, somehow a loophole would be “invented” for allocution…
Technically speaking, this wouldn’t be a “sell-on” deal since Seattle loaned him to the Colombian team. That’s why Sporting Lisbon is negotiating with MLS. It’s only a sell-on if the player is first sold outright to another club and then that club sells him to a third club. Here, the first club is selling him to the third club.
As for whether it’s “unreasonable,” I think that depends on what the actual rule is…and I have no idea what it is….because the article explains neither the rule that governs the situation nor the “nuance” to that rule that Hanauer may be referring to.
So, Fischy, while I suspect you’re mostly taking a dig at how pliable league rules become when the Galaxy are involved, and you chose “unreasonable” to effectuate that satire, well, golly gee willikers, it would nonetheless be nice to know the text!
Oh, and looking forward: what if SKC re-loans or outright sells Kamara this summer, a player for whose loan they already received allocation money once this year (as Seattle did with Montero). Would they be in the same boat as Seattle here? or do the situations differ?
Are you from longview?
Klute!