RSL Trades for Alvarez, Lose Findley & Horst in Expansion Draft

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RSL ACQUIRES ARTURO ALVAREZ VIA TRADE WITH PORTLAND, LOSE ROBBIE FINDLEY & DAVID HORST TO TIMBERS IN MLS EXPANSION DRAFT
Real Salt Lake also Announces Waiving of MF Alex Nimo
SANDY, Utah (Wednesday, November 24, 2010) – While today belonged to 2011 MLS expansion franchises Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps, Real Salt Lake stole some headlines of its own with an active day that was headlined by a trade with Portland that brought M/F Arturo Alvarez to the Wasatch Front in exchange for the higher of Real Salt Lake second round selections in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. In addition, RSL saw a pair of players – FW Robbie Findley and DF David Horst – selected by the Timbers in the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft, which took place earlier today via conference call, and announced the waiving of MF Alex Nimo.
“We are excited to add a dynamic, attacking, left-footed player who can play either in midfield or up top for us.  We wanted to add another player who can beat opponents off the dribble and create their own chances, and we believe we have acquired him in Arturo Alvarez,” said Real Salt Lake V.P. of Soccer Operations and General Manager Garth Lagerwey. “It is always painful to lose good, young players in whom we, as a staff, have invested tremendous time and energy in, and David and Robbie both fit that bill. However, we can only lose in expansion and we can only protect 11 players, so we wish both of them the best in the future.”


Just hours after Portland plucked Alvarez from the San Jose Earthquakes with its 10th and final pick of the MLS Expansion Draft (click here for the full results of today’s draft), Real Salt Lake engineered a trade for the 25-year-old left-sided attacker. In return, Portland receives the second round selection (22nd overall) in January’s upcoming SuperDraft that RSL acquired from Chivas USA in May 2008 in the deal that sent DF Carey Talley to the Southern California side.
An eight-year MLS veteran, Alvarez has started 101 of his 166 League appearances since his debut season for San Jose back in 2003, registering 24 goals and 18 assists on behalf of the Earthquakes (2003-04, 2008-10) and FC Dallas (2005-2008). Alvarez has also notched an assist across five MLS Cup Playoff contests (one start), including three substitute appearances totaling 69 minutes during San Jose’s run to the Eastern Conference Championship earlier this month.
After representing the United States at various youth levels, the Houston native made the jump to El Salvador’s national team at the senior level in 2009 under current Chicago Fire head coach Carlos de los Cabos. Alvarez collected five caps for “la Selecta” during CONCACAF’s final round of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in 2009, including a starting role in El Salvador’s 1-2 defeat to the United States in the first-ever qualifier to take place at his new home of Rio Tinto Stadium on Sept. 5, 2009.
Findley was one of the bigger surprises of the 20 players selected in today’s draft, the move coming just days after RSL had announced the striker’s intentions to test the waters of the overseas market. The 25-year-old Phoenix native leaves Real Salt Lake as the club’s career leader in goals (29) and game-winning goals (9), while also placing in the top five on the squad’s all-time charts with 157 shots (2nd); 69 shots on goal (2nd), 13 assists (3rd); five game-winning assists (T-2nd); 96 games played (4th); four multi-goal games (2nd); and 85 fouls suffered (5th). Findley is the first and only player in Real Salt Lake history to record a hat trick in MLS play, the striker accomplishing the feat on April 2, 2009, when he bagged all three goals in a 3-1 defeat of the Columbus Crew in Sandy.
Findley also departs as RSL’s all-time leading playoff scorer, having tallied four goals and adding a pair of assists while playing in all nine of the Utah side’s postseason contests since 2008. The Oregon State product played three-and-a-half seasons for Real Salt Lake, which acquired the then-rookie striker alongside MF Nathan Sturgis in a trade with the LA Galaxy for MF Chris Klein midway through the 2007 campaign.
Horst joins Portland after three seasons with the Claret-and-Cobalt, this after RSL nabbed the towering center back with the 14th overall selection (first round) in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. After making only three appearances with RSL’s first team in League play across his first two seasons from 2008-09, Horst gained valuable experience this past season while on loan to the USSF D-2 Pro League’s Puerto Rico Islanders, scoring once and notching two assists in 29 appearances en route to helping the Islanders claim the second division’s championship in October. Horst also played a valuable role for Puerto Rico during CONCACAF Champions League play, scoring twice while appearing in all eight contests for the Islanders in the regional club championship. Horst played a huge factor for the squad that defeated the LA Galaxy in the Preliminary Round and posted a 2-2-2 record in Group D play during in the Group Stage.
Nimo was also a member of Real Salt Lake’s 2008 MLS SuperDraft class, the Utah side picking the then-teenager with the 17th overall pick in the second round. Nimo failed to make any appearances for RSL during his rookie season before being sent to the Portland Timbers on season-long loans in both 2009 and 2010, where he amassed 45 appearances for his hometown side.


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