Written By Ives Galarcep at Goal.com
The MLS offseason saw several top veterans change addresses, and Goal USA’s Ives Galarcep runs down the most important players who joined new clubs.
You always hear about the new international signings that come into Major League Soccerevery season, but one of the league’s key building blocks has always been the veteran player who moves around MLS.
If you look at teams that have enjoyed consistent success in the league, many have maintained their lofty status by making shrewd pickups on the MLS market. Look no further than Portland, which won an MLS Cup with the help of castoffs such as Jorge Villafana, Rodney Wallace and Maximiliano Urruti. All three had been with different MLS clubs before finding their way to the Rose City, and all three played key roles in helping the Timbers lift an MLS Cup title.
As we approach a new season, all three of those players have moved on, and the Timbers have replaced them with another batch of MLS vets. That’s something that’s easy overlook when focusing your attention on international standouts like Diego Valeri and Liam Ridgewell.
“The great thing about building with MLS guys is you know what you get because you’ve seen them in the league,” Timbers coach Caleb Porter told Goal USA. “It’s hard to predict sometimes with foreign players, you can see them in a different league and they look great, but that league’s different, the level’s different, you’re not factoring in the transition.”
The Timbers aren’t alone. Perennial contenders like the LA Galaxy, Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake all won titles with the help of MLS veterans who came from other clubs within the league, and this year teams like Toronto FC and Sporting KC will be hoping their high-profile MLS additions will help them lift a championship trophy.
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