VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC, in collaboration with Major League Soccer expansion side New York City FC, announced today the trade and transfer of striker Omar Salgado to an international club to be named once there is an agreement of personal terms, medical exam, and receipt of Salgado's International Transfer Certificate. Per club and league policies, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"Omar is a good player with potential; however, both the club and Omar agreed that now is the right time to go in another direction and we wish him all the best," said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson.
"The transfer freeze prior to the Expansion Draft made this a unique situation. After exploring a number of options, this was our best move. If we left Omar unprotected in the Expansion Draft, we would have most likely lost him for nothing. Alternatively, we could have used one of our 11 protection spots on him but then we would have risked losing someone else. By orchestrating a trade and transfer, we hold on to future sell-on rights and will receive allocation money," added Robinson.
Per Major League Soccer roster rules and regulations, during expansion draft years there is a transfer freeze between the September Roster Freeze and the expansion draft for all non-expansion clubs. As a result, Salgado was traded to New York City FC, who will then transfer him to an international club for a shared transfer fee with Whitecaps FC. The 2014 MLS Expansion Draft will take place on December 10.
Salgado, a recent Generation adidas graduate, made 29 MLS regular season appearances, including 12 starts, with Whitecaps FC after being selected by the club in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. This season, after a brief stint with USL PRO side Charleston Battery, Salgado appeared in eight matches with Whitecaps FC in regular season competition.
At the international level, the 21-year-old native of El Paso, Texas, has represented the United States at the U-17, U-18, U-20 and U-23 levels.
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