MLS Moves: Fire adds two strikers and much more

• by Ridge Mahoney  @ridgemax, Aug 4, 2016

Giving up its place atop the allocation order so Philadelphia could sign Alejandro Bedoya wasn’t the only deal swung by Chicago on Wednesday.

The Fire also announced a trade by which it acquired forward Luis Solignac from Colorado, and the signing of Armenian striker David Arshakyan via the discovery process.

Solignac, 25, has scored three goals and recorded four assists in 33 league games since joining the Rapids in May, 2015. Chicago traded general allocation money to obtain his rights.

“Simply, Luis is a good footballer,” said Fire general manager Nelson Rodríguez. “He has soft feet, is mobile, understands how to play in combination and is familiar with the demands of the League. We expect him to contribute right away.”

Arshakyan, 21, comes to MLS from Lithuanian club FK Trakai. According to a team press release, he scored an astonishing 25 goals in 34 appearances during the 2015 season. This year he scored nine goals in 18 league games. In March he made his international debut for Armenia in a U-21 European Championship match.

“As we tracked David, we were impressed by his winning attitude and ability to score goals in a variety of different ways,” said Rodriguez. “He has a very good soccer IQ, imagination and obvious size. David also expressed a keen desire to join our club in particular and to help us build a championship program.”

In the Bedoya deal the Fire received Targeted Allocation Money, General Allocation Money, a 2017 first-round SuperDraft pick, and Discovery rights to an unnamed player in exchange for Bedoya’s rights.

Last week the Fire traded struggling forward Kennedy Igboananike to D.C. United. Chicago is the lowest scoring team in MLS (19 goals in 20 games).

ROYER TO RED BULLS. Austrian International Daniel Royer has signed with the New York Red Bulls in a transfer from Danish club FC Midtjylland.

Royer, 26, played 36 games (all competitions) for Midtjylland in the past year, scoring two goals and registering three assists. The native of Schladming, Austria, previously played in his domestic league with Austria Wien and SV Reid, for which he played a combined 104 games, scored 15 goals, and posted 20 assists.

“We're pleased to add Daniel to our team,” said Red Bulls sporting director Ali Curtis. “He's a talented player that is in the prime of his career. His ability to play different positions in the midfield gives us both quality and depth. Daniel is a very intelligent and mature young man, and we look forward to him joining the club.”

Royer, capped six times by Austria, has experience playing in the Champions League and Europa League.

QUAKES AND LIONS DEAL. There's no more MPG in San Jose. He was signed to run the Quakes' midfield, but problems with injuries and lackluster form have moved Matias Perez Garcia to Orlando City in exchange for Darwin Ceren.

In the trade announced Wednesday, the Quakes also receive salary-budget space to sign a season-ending injury replacement, and the Lions get an international slot for the rest of the current season.

Garcia, 31, was signed as San Jose’s third Designated Player in 2014 and this season couldn’t hold down a regular spot while playing centrally and out wide. Last year, he led the team with seven assists and also scored two goals in 27 games (25 starts). The offseason additions of Alberto Quintero and Simon Dawkins changed the team's persona and reduced his playing time; in 14 appearances (nine starts) in 2016 he registered just one assist in an April 13 game against the Red Bulls.

“Our club is very excited about bringing Matías into our camp,” said head coach Jason Kreis. “He has played at a very high level and has demonstrated his skill since joining MLS. Matías fits in nicely with our tactics and shape and will bolster our attack.”

Injuries and international duties have left the Quakes thin in midfield at times, and in Ceren they’ve added one of the top defensive mids in the league. “We think Darwin is a good young player who is going to add bite to our midfield,” said Quakes head coach Dominic Kinnear. “Every time I saw him play for Orlando, I thought he would be a good fit for us and I'm glad we have had the opportunity to bring him here.”

Ceren, 26, joined Orlando City for its final USL season in 2014, and has played 42 games (39 starts) in MLS. He has tallied two goals and four assists in league play. Internationally, Ceren has scored two goals in 34 appearances for El Salvador and has captained the team many times. He played all three of his nation’s matches at the 2015 Concacaf Gold Cup.

In effect, the teams have traded grit for glitz. Ceren is a solid tackler who can also connect passes well, Garcia's skills and flair can flourish in Kreis’ possession game.

“We're looking forward to having Darwin join the team,” said Earthquakes general manager John Doyle. “He is a young, versatile center midfielder that will make the team better.”

*MLS Summer Moves:
Chicago Fire
IN: F Michael de Leeuw (Free, FC Groningen)
IN: F Luis Solignac (Trade, Colorado Rapids)
IN: F David Arshakyan (Transfer, FK Trakai/LIT)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: F Gilberto (Contract Terminated, Sao Paulo/BRA)
OUT: F Kennedy Igboananike (Trade, D.C. United)

Colorado Rapids
IN: GK Tim Howard (Transfer, Everton/ENG)
IN: F Sebastien Le Toux (Trade, Philadelphia Union)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: F Luis Solignac (Trade, Chicago Fire)

Columbus Crew
IN: D Nicolai Naess (Transfer, Stabaek/NOR)
IN: GK Zack Steffen (Transfer, Freiburg/GER)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: M Emil Larsen (Transfer, Lyngby/DEN)

D.C. United
IN: M Lloyd Sam (Trade, NY Red Bulls)
IN: F Patrick Mullins (Trade, New York City)
IN: F Kennedy Igboananike (Trade, Chicago Fire)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: F Fabian Espindola (Trade, Vancouver Whitecaps)
OUT: GK Tally Hall (Retired)

FC Dallas
IN: D Aubrey David (Loan, Saprissa/CRC)
IN: F Getterson (Loan, J. Malucelli/BRA)
IN: D Norberto Paparatto (Transfer, Atletico Rafaela/ARG)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: Alejandro Zendejas (Transfer, Guadalajara/MEX)

Houston Dynamo
IN: M Eric Alexander (Trade, Montreal Impact)
IN: M Yair Arboleda Quinones (Loan, Independiente Santa Fe/COL)
IN: D Keyner Brown (Loan, Herediano/CRC)
IN: M Jose Escalante (USL Loan, Rio Grande Valley FC)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: M David Rocha (Contract terminated, Real Oviedo/SPA)
OUT: M Leonel Miranda (Loan expired, Defensa y Justicia/ARG)
OUT: F Giles Barnes (Trade, Vancouver Whitecaps)

LA Galaxy
None.

Montreal Impact
IN: F Matteo Mancosu (Loan, Bologna/ITA)
IN: D Amadou Dia (Trade, Sporting KC)
IN: M Hernan Bernardello (Free, Alaves/POR)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: F Cameron Porter (Trade, Sporting KC)
OUT: M Eric Alexander (Trade, Houston Dynamo)

New England Revolution
None.

New York City FC
IN: D Maxime Chanot (Transfer, Kortrijk/BEL)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: F Patrick Mullins (Trade, D.C. United)

New York Red Bulls
IN: M Daniel Royer (Transfer, FC Midtjylland/DAN)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: M Lloyd Sam (Trade, D.C. United)

Orlando City
IN: D Jose Aja (Loan, Nacional, Uruguay)
IN: M Matias Perez Garcia (Trade, San Jose Earthquakes)
IN: M Tony Rocha (USL Signing, Orlando City B)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: M Adrian Winter (Contract terminated, FC Zurich/SUI)
OUT: F Bryan Rochez (Loan, Real Espana/HON)
OUT: Darwin Ceren (Trade, San Jose Earthquakes)

Philadelphia Union
IN: M Derrick Jones (Homegrown Signing, Bethlehem Steel FC)
IN: M Alejandro Bedoya (Transfer, Nantes/FRA)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: M Vincent Nogueira (Contract terminated, Strasbourg/FRA)
OUT: F Sebastien Le Toux (Trade, Colorado Rapids)

Portland Timbers
IN: D Vytautas Andriuskevicius (Free, Cambuur/NED)
IN: GK Chris Konopka (Free, Ross County/SCO)
IN: D Steven Taylor (Free, Newcastle United/ENG)
IN: D Gbenga Arokoyo (Free, Gaziantepspor/TUR)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: GK Adam Kwarasey (Transfer, Rosenborg/NOR)
OUT: D Anthony Manning (Waived)

Real Salt Lake
IN: F Pedro Baez (Loan, Cerro Porteno/PAR)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: F Devon Sandoval (Loan, Rayo OKC)

San Jose Earthquakes
IN: Darwin Ceren (Trade, Orlando City)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: M Matias Perez Garcia (Trade, Orlando City)

Seattle Sounders
IN: M Nicolas Lodeiro (Transfer, Boca Juniors/ARG)
IN: M Alvaro Fernandez (Transfer, Gimnasia y Esgrima/ARG)

Sporting KC
IN: M Emmanuel Appiah (Free, Colorado Rapids)
IN: F Cameron Porter (Trade, Montreal Impact)
IN: D Amadou Dia (Trade, Montreal Impact)

Toronto FC
IN: F Tosaint Ricketts (Free, Boluspor/TUR)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: D Damien Perquis (Contract terminated, Nott. Forest/ENG)

Vancouver Whitecaps
IN: D David Edgar (Free, Birmingham City/ENG)
IN: D Marcel de Jong (Free, Sporting KC)
IN: M Alphonso Davies (Homegrown Signing, Whitecaps FC 2)
IN: F Fabian Espindola (Trade, D.C. United)
IN: F Giles Barnes (Trade, Houston Dynamo)
---------------------------------------------------------
OUT: F Octavio Rivero (Transfer, Colo-Colo/CHI)
OUT: D Sam Adekugbe (Loan, Brighton & Hove Albion/ENG)
OUT: F Fabian Espindola (Transfer, Necaxa/MEX)
*Since opening of summer window.