Alvaro was a legend with this club and we thank him for his time spent with RSL. But the time has come for us to evolve as a club and this trade is a great opportunity to add a talented player in Luis Silva who can bring a lot to this team. – Real Salt Lake technical director Craig Waibel
SANDY — Craig Waibel believes that struggling Real Salt Lake could’ve approached the FIFA summer transfer window one of two ways.
The first option involved doing nothing, keeping the roster intact and hoping RSL could turn things around once its five players return from Gold Cup action and several others recover from injury.
With much to still play for in 2015 — U.S. Open Cup, Champions League, chasing down a playoff berth — RSL’s technical director opted for a more proactive approach to the transfer window than simply hoping for the best.
Early Thursday morning Real Salt Lake traded all-time leading scorer Alvaro Saborio to D.C. United in exchange for 26-year-old midfielder Luis Silva. Both are in a contract year, and Waibel said the 33-year-old Saborio wasn’t in the club’s future beyond this year.
In Silva, the club has acquired a versatile attacking player — albeit one who’s been plagued by injuries this season — and someone who Waibel said can help RSL get back to connecting the game on the ground.
“When he’s healthy he’s a goal-dangerous player, he’s a technical player,” said Waibel.
Just as important though, the trade helps Real Salt Lake free up roughly $300,000 in salary cap space, which may ultimately prove to be the most important aspect of Thursday’s trade.
“This trade allows the organization to pursue another player … and we have 3 or 4 guys we’re talking to,” said Waibel. “We will be pursuing a player who fits in the plans beyond six months. I’m confident that we will add another player.”
The hope is that Silva fits into RSL’s long-term plans as well.
Drafted fourth overall by Toronto FC in 2012, Silva had a breakout campaign for D.C. United in 2014 with 11 goals. Injuries have slowed his progress this season, as he has just one goal in only four starts and 14 appearances, and league-leading D.C. United was looking for a more consistent option.
Silva won’t be available for RSL’s match with Houston this Saturday as he works his way to full fitness after his latest injury, but Waibel said there’s no need to rush him back.
“This isn’t a situation where we need to force Luis into anything. This isn’t a publicity thing. This is a move that makes us stronger in the second half of the season,” said Waibel, who hopes Silva eventually settles into RSL’s long-term plans.
“He is on a contract year as well. We intend to bring him in and show him why this place is so great and hopefully he falls in love with it. He’s excited to come here,” said Waibel.
Silva will likely end up playing in one of Real Salt Lake’s wide attacking positions, or playing centrally in more of an attacking midfield role.
Just as Silva’s arrival — and the likelihood of another signing — creates a buzz around Real Salt Lake, it also halts Saborio’s successful four and a half years in suburban Utah.
Since he arrived on loan from FC Sion in Switzerland at the start of the 2010 season, Saborio has scored 63 goals in 127 MLS matches — second best in MLS over that stretch. In all competitions, he's notched 79 goals over 158 matches.
The 2015 season has been his least productive to date with just one goal. Despite an off-field incident as well that forced Saborio to miss two RSL matches prior to joining the Costa Rican National Team for the Gold Cup, Waibel said he wasn’t desperate to trade him.
“I would’ve been more than happy to not move Sabo. He is a goal scorer and he could’ve helped us win games the second half of this season,” said Waibel.
He believes, however, that Silva and another potential new acquisition can accomplish the same thing not only this season, but in years to come.
“I have a long-term plan that isn’t five years, that long-term plan is 12 months. I want to have this roster righted and I want to have it in a great spot going into next season and I want to be improving it next July,” said Waibel.
He also believes that with some lineup consistency in the second half of the season, there’s no reason Real Salt Lake can’t climb back into playoff contention.
“In our league, when you’re within three games of a playoff spot halfway through, I think it’s naïve to think you don’t have a chance,” he said.