Determined to strengthen their roster, Rapids make series of trades on draft day.
The Rapidswere busy at the MLS SuperDraft on Thursday, making a series of trades that ultimately positioned them to bolster their roster via the international market.
Coming into the draft, the Rapids had the No. 2 overall pick.
But they traded it to the Philadelphia Union for a player to be determined later and general allocation money.
The Rapids then made their biggest splash by trading their way to theNo. 1 slot in the MLS allocation ranking, which gives them first crack at signing U. S. national team players who enter the league, or former MLS players who are returning to the league after previously being transferred for more than a $ 500,000 fee.
Colorado sent its No. 2 allocation order slot and theNo. 12 andNo. 22 overall SuperDraft picks to the Chicago Fire for the top allocation slot and Chicago’s No. 15 and No. 33 overall draft picks. The Rapids had just acquired the No. 12 pick from the Los Angeles Galaxy for targeted allocation money.
Typically, teams that trade up to theNo. 1 slot in the allocation ranking have a player in mind they want to sign. The Rapids would not comment on their plans for the top slot in the allocation order.
MLS analyst Taylor Twellman of ESPN speculated during the SuperDraft telecast that the move could mean the Rapids were positioning themselves to signU. S. national team midfielder Alejandro Bedoya.
ButRapids vice president of soccer operations Paul Bravo threw cold water on the speculation, telling Goal. comthat Bedoya’s club, FC Nantes, was not planning to sell the 28- year- old World Cup veteran. Bravo added that the Rapids were aware Bedoya wouldn’t be availablewhen they traded for the top allocation slot. The Denver Post confirmed the report.
TheRapids also have been linked toMexican international striker Alan Pulido in multiple reports. ESPN reportedThursday that the Rapids and Pulido’s club, Olympiakos, which plays in Greece’s first division, agreed to the terms of a one- year loan, but some hurdles remained. Acquiring him would not require the Rapids to use their top allocation ranking. The Rapids declined to comment on the reports.
The Rapids added two players via the draft.
They selected Emmanuel Appiah, a defensive midfielder from the University of Cincinnati, with theNo. 15 overall pick. Appiah, 22, is a 5- foot- 9, 160- pounder from Ghana and could provide depth in the defensive midfield.
The Rapids traded theNo. 33 overall pick to FC Dallas in exchange for the No. 37 and No. 57 overall picks, then selectedVCUdefender Dennis Castillo at No. 37.