New York Red Bulls: Off-Season Signings and Transfer Rumors Part 2
By Liam Pettit
The Aftermath of the Kljestan Trade
Two years, two captains gone and the Red Bull organization has made their mission clear. New York is a club that wants to cultivate young talent and sell high on proven veterans when they can. While moving Dax to Chicago was a punch to the gut, it was the right move for the club in the end. And in this current off-season, Kljestan’s stock was as high as it was going to get and at his age, he was next on the trade block.
The experiment with Kljestan playing the #10 role had run its course. Kljestan had two career years with Red Bull, but in his time with the Red Bulls, it was hard to mask the fact he didn’t fit the system. While Kljestan was an important part of the team, he was slow in pressing, tuned out of games, and did not show up in the play-offs.
In return, the Red Bulls acquired two players from Orlando with tremendous upside. Tommy Redding is a young home-grown defender that gives Jesse Marsch a much-needed option off the bench.
While Rivas may not have excelled with Orlando, nobody can deny he is one of the quickest players in all of MLS. Rivas’ speed may prove key in Red Bull’s high press even if he lacks defensive instincts. In Jesse Marsch’s system, Rivas has the potential to play the way Orlando City SC hoped he could for a fraction of the cost.