One of MLS’s top goalkeepers is on the move as the Houston Dynamo have agreed to trade Tally Hall to expansion club Orlando City SC.
According to sources close to the deal, the move will send the two-time All-Star to Orlando, who will join MLS along with New York City FC in 2015, in exchange for allocation money. The deal cannot be approved by the league until the trade window opens Dec. 8.
"The trade is unofficial at this time,” Chris Canetti told MLSsoccer.com Tuesday. “We have an agreement in place to execute this trade once the trade window opens up. It is still pending MLS league approval.”
Hall confirmed the trade to MLSsoccer.com on Tuesday.
“I came to Houston six years ago as an unknown, and Houston’s where I was given a chance to make a name for myself,” Hall told MLSsoccer.com. “Now I leave Houston humbled by support and love from the organization and fans as a whole. I leave with a heavy heart, but at the same time I’m very much looking forward to what Orlando has with the opportunity to be with a team for their inaugural season is extremely exciting for me. And I can’t wait to get ingrained with the community and organization and start winning games for Orlando.”
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In Hall, who is currently rehabbing an ACL tear that has kept him sidelined since the end of August, Orlando gets a proven goalkeeper who has an MLS Cup pedigree. Since taking over for Dynamo legend Pat Onstad in 2011, Hall has backed the club to two MLS Cup appearances in 2011 and 2012 and the 2013 Eastern Conference finals. In four seasons as the starter, his goals against average is 1.3 in 125 regular season starts. That number drops to an impressive 0.91 in 15 postseason starts.
According to sources, the 29-year-old Hall said his goodbyes to his teammates prior to the team’s season finale, a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Fire. He told MLSsoccer.com two weeks ago that his rehab is on schedule and he hopes to be back to action for the start of next season.
For Houston, the move frees up cap space and clears out the club’s deepest position. The Dynamo were long considered to have an embarrassment of riches at the position with Hall and Homegrown ‘keeper Tyler Deric in the fold. After Hall suffered his ACL tear Aug. 29 in a match against Sporting Kansas City, Deric performed well, allowing 1.3 goals per game in nine starts since taking over full-time.
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While Deric has shown the club what he can do, the move was made prior to Hall’s injury and before manager Dominic Kinnear decided to resign and move to San Jose. After Hall suffered his injury, Orlando maintained their interest, meaning a new address for the Dynamo fan favorite come 2015.
Hall will join nine players already signed by the expansion club, with the name on the marquee being Brazilian star Kaka, who will join the outfit for their inaugural season and is currently on loan with hometown club Sao Paulo F.C.
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.
