ROCHAT BOLTS FOR EUROPE

Former Whitecap unhappy with trade to D. C. United

Former Vancouver Whitecaps fullback Alain Rochat, publicly unhappy about being traded to D. C. United on June 6, is headed back to Europe on transfer, making D. C. a reported $ 500,000 richer.

D. C. has reportedly sold the 30- year- old Rochat to the Swiss club Young Boys for $ 500,000, after he expressed dissatisfaction about having his family uprooted. He made only five appearances for D. C. before the new move. Rochat’s wife gave birth to their fourth child last week.

For the Whitecaps, the move apparently means they will receive only a second- round 2015 Major League Soccer draft pick for Rochat, and not an extra conditional pick in 2016 that would have been coming Vancouver’s way had the defender made a set number of appearances in D. C. colours.

The Whitecaps’ move to trade the Swiss- Canadian Rochat — a mainstay on their defence since MLS came to Vancouver in 2011 — was a means of getting the salary cap space needed to subsequently sign Danish goalkeeper David Ousted, who is now available to play with the opening of global soccer’s transfer window.

“( Rochat) was public in saying his dissatisfaction with the MLS protocol ( for trades), and you don’t need to talk to a guy to know that’s tough,” D. C. midfielder John Thorrington, a former Whitecaps teammate of Rochat’s, told the Washington Post’s Soccer Insider. “It’s not easy when you have a wife that is pregnant and you are called in and told you have to move across the continent. CLARKE ON LOAN: The Whitecaps announced Wednesday that 20- year- old Richmond striker Caleb Clarke has been loaned to FC Augsburg, a German Bundesliga club, for one year.

“Caleb is a young player with a lot of upside,” Whitecaps coach Martin Rennie said. “This is a great opportunity for Caleb to continue in his development and we look forward to seeing the progress he’ll make while with FC Augsburg.”

Clarke will play with FC Augsburg’s U- 23 side.