Just when you think everything is quiet on player-movement front in MLS, there's a big trade announced. The Portland Timbers have sent goalkeeper Troy Perkins to the Montreal Impact in exchange for Donovan Ricketts.
Impact And Timbers Swap Starting Goalkeepers
Portland has traded goalkeeper Tory Perkins to Montreal for goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.
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The 31-year-old Perkins joined the Timbers via a trade with DC United in December of 2010, a few months before Portland began their inaugural season in MLS. Perkins played in 51 matches, with 14 wins and 12 shutouts.
Impact head coach Jesse Marsch commented about Perkins in the team's press release about the trade.
“We are happy to be able to add Troy to our group and we think he will make an immediate impact in what we are trying to achieve,” said Impact head coach Jesse Marsch. “We feel this will help us make a strong push at the end of this year, as well as solidify ourselves for the future.”
Donovan Ricketts, 35, heads to Portland after playing in 24 matches during his first season with the expansion Impact. Rickets joined the team in the pre-season via a trade with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Ricketts lost his starting job in LA after an injury that cost him most of the 2011 season. Before that injury, Ricketts was one of the best goalkeepers in MLS and was named Goalkeeper of the Year in 2010.
Timbers GM and interim head coach Gavin Wilkinson, in a press release, had this to say about the trade
“Donovan has been an impact player since he joined MLS and is one of the top-performing goalkeepers in the league,” said Wilkinson. “Troy has been an important player for us, but we as a coaching staff saw this as an opportunity to improve the position, while optimizing our budget numbers in 2012 and 2013. Donovan has a great presence and will provide us with tremendous experience and leadership. He has a proven track record in MLS and has shown he can consistently play well at the highest level.”
On the surface this feels very much appears to be a like-for-like trade between the two teams. Ricketts does have a higher salary (a difference of just under $75k), but otherwise it looks like two teams who just wanted to shake up their rosters a bit. If Ricketts can find his pre-injury form, it could be an excellent addition for the Timbers.
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