The Portland Timbers have traded the right of first refusal for winger Rodney Wallace to New York City FC in exchange for $75,000 in General Allocation Money and $50,000 in Targeted Allocation Money.
NYCFC officially announced that they had signed Wallace Wednesday.
Wallace competed for the Timbers from 2011 to 2015, making 120 appearances (92 starts) and recording 16 goals and 17 assists in regular season play during that time. He made the decision to explore other options abroad after the 2015 season and most recently competed for Brazilian side Sport Recife.
“Rodney is someone we genuinely respect as a player and person, however our focus right now is on acquiring a central defender, and it is a priority to use our existing cap space to address this positional need. We also feel our depth in the left winger position is very strong at this moment,” said Timbers General Manager and President of Soccer Gavin Wilkinson in a prepared statement. “We wish Rodney nothing but the best as he returns to MLS.”
The Timbers had originally considered the option of bringing Wallace back this season, but the club added other pieces on the wing in the offseason and felt comfortable with its depth at the position.
Behind expected starters Darlington Nagbe and Sebastian Blanco, the Timbers have four other players that could see significant minutes on the wing this season in Dairon Asprilla, Darren Mattocks, Jack Barmby and Victor Arboleda.
The Timbers are also still planning on signing a starting center back to replace Gbenga Arokoyo, who sustained a season-ending Achilles injury in late January. With the salary cap, it would not have been feasible for the Timbers to sign a high-level and proven starting center back and still bring back Wallace.
The Timbers currently have several options at center back that they are pursuing. Cameroon defender Yaya Banana, who was linked to Timbers earlier this week, is no longer being targeted by Portland.
— Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com
503-853-3761 | @jamiebgoldberg
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