Rumors have been floating around the Internet all week that the Portland Timbers may be looking to trade Kenny Cooper, easily the biggest name player they signed during their inaugural MLS offseason. Cooper's season started well enough, with the big forward scoring three goals in his first seven games, but it's gone decidedly down hill since then.
Kenny Cooper Could Be Traded, Here’s Where He Might Go
On paper, DC United seems like the most likely destination for the big forward.
Cooper has neither scored nor assisted in 10 straight games, and in recent weeks has found himself coming off the bench. He has supposedly fallen out of favor with Timbers coach John Spencer and his $250,000 salary could be handcuffing the team’s ability to plug the suddenly ample leaks in their defense.
The weirdest rumor to surface was Cooper being traded straight up for Nate Jaqua to the Seattle Sounders. The move doesn't seem to make much sense from almost any angle, as both players are struggling, and the Sounders would seem an unlikely team to take on Cooper's bloated salary. It would also make little practical sense from the Timbers' standpoint as they are probably looking to bolster their defense.
That doesn’t mean Cooper will be staying put, though, as numerous teams could use someone of Cooper’s pedigree and skillset. Here are the top 5 destinations:
5. Philadelphia Union: Cooper only has 10 U.S. National Team caps, but all of them were while Peter Nowak was an assistant. The Union don't really employ a target man, but you could see him working well with any one of a number of Union forwards. The Union have a solid defense, but after trading Jordan Harvey it seems unlikely that they have anymore defenders they can afford to trade. Odds: 20:1.
4. Los Angeles Galaxy: It might not make a lot of sense on the face of it, but hear me out. Cooper could be paired with Juan Pablo Angel, creating space for the aging Designated Player or, really, any other number of forwards. We know Bruce Arena has no problem stockpiling talent and he does have CONCACAF Champions League to worry about. To make it fit under the salary cap, they'd probably have to move some salary, though, and Gregg Berhalter would seem to fit the bill. Odds: 15:1.
3. Chicago Fire: Diego Chaves started off the season as hot as anyone, but has cooled considerably, having gone scoreless in his past 13 games after scoring four in his first six. A number of players have been tried out as his strike partner, but maybe what he needs is someone who can take a little physical punishment. Cooper's big body could definitely create some space for the Uruguayan. Josip Mikulic has looked good when he plays, and could offer a significant upgrade to the Timbers. Odds: 10:1.
2. FC Dallas: A move back to Dallas makes sense on a lot of levels. He actually committed to play for Schellas Hyndman at Southern Methodist before opting to try his luck in Europe with Manchester United and he eventually played for FC Dallas during his first stint in MLS. Fitting Cooper into the attack would take some tweaking, but he could pair nicely with Marvin Chavez or Fabian Castillo. The Toros really have at least five starting quality defenders and Jackson Goncalves could be sacrificed to make room. Odds: 7:1.
1. DC United: This would mark a return to Cooper's youngest days when he grew up in Baltimore. United has two quality forwards in Josh Wolff and Charlie Davies, but they play pretty similar styles. Bringing in someone like Cooper could really give them a more varied attack. They also have some pieces they could move, guys like Dejan Jakovic a high-salaried player that has apparently lost his job to two younger, cheaper players. Neither player is performing up to their salary right now and a change of scenery could be good for both. Odds: 5:1.
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