Out-of-favor Costa Rican national team forward Alvaro Saborio has been traded from Real Salt Lake to D.C. United in exchange for midfielder Luis Silva. After registering five goals and five assists in 30 matches in his rookie season, Silva was traded to D.C. United midway through the 2013 season in exchange for allocation money. He scored a total of 76 goals across all competitions and boasts one of the more impressive stats in the club’s history: RSL was 43-6-12 when Saborio scored. “He can find his way on the score sheet, whether it’s through goals or assists”.
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In terms of tactical arrangements, expect for Saborio to play up front alongside former RSL teammate Fabian Espindola. He departs Salt Lake as the second-leading scorer in Major League Soccer since his arrival in 2010, when he came on loan from FC Sion in Switzerland before RSL later acquired his rights outright. “He’s a true No. 9 that will provide an immediate spark to our offense.” He has had a good 2015 campaign thus far, scoring 1 goal in 14 matches.
The problem with Silva though, is that he’s often been injured this season and so at best he’ll be a sub for either Javier Morales or Luis Gil in RSL’s triangular midfield. By moving Saborio, the club gets $450,000 knocked off their salary cap and only absorbs $150,000 of the cap by bringing in Silva for a handful of games, leaving $300,000 to play with. “[Saborio] scored many important goals for us”. Silva, however, is seen as a great fit for this RSL roster, and could be one of several acquisitions for the club. Saborio now joins a team that is poised to run away in the Eastern Conference.
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His actions on that flight from Costa Rica, during which he reportedly was drunk and belligerent and booted off an American Airlines jet, just cost him his job at Real Salt Lake.
