Chicago deals Berry to Union, Chivas USA gets EPL vet

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Feb 24, 2014

[MLS 2014 COUNTDOWN] The Chicago Fire dealt 2012 Rookie of the Year Austin Berry to Philadelphia Union in exchange for allocation money. Fire boss Frank Yallop said the move became necessary in order to get to cap compliant by March 1, and Berry, who had started 62 straight games for the Fire, became expendable after Chicago picked up center backs Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Patrick Ianni from the Seattle Sounders.

Hurtado and Ianni joined Berry and Malian Bakary Soumare as the four Fire center backs, which was one too many given their salaries.

Berry, a Louisville product, should see plenty of time at Philadelphia as the Union has been looking for an experienced center back in light of the trade of Jeff Parke to D.C. United. In recent preseason action, Sheanon Williams has slid into the middle alongside Amobi Okugo, but Williams is more valuable to the Fire at right back, where he ranked No. 1 at the position in the 2013 Soccer America rankings.

-- The Fire also announced that it mutually agreed to terminate the contract for Uruguayan forward Federico Puppo, another move to get closer to cap compliance,” according to Yallop. Puppo made his 12 appearances in 2012 before being loaned out, first to Uruguayan club Defensor Sporting and then Ecuadoran club LDU Quito.

CHIVAS USA LANDS ENGLISHMAN. Chivas USA confirmed the signing of 28-year-old English striker Luke Moore from Turkey’s Sanica Boru Elazigspor. Moore has experience in the English Premier League, scoring 19 goals in 10 seasons with Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Swansea City. He moved to Turkey last summer but went scoreless in 13 league games.
 
“Moore is a very talented player who has proven his scoring ability at the international level by playing in one of the biggest leagues in the world,” described Chivas USA coach Wilmer Cabrera. “He’s going to be a very important addition to our team in terms of competition, depth, and possibilities up front to create scoring opportunities and goals.”