Real Salt Lake kick-started what looks to be a busy offseason for the club Thursday, acquiring defender Douglas Sequeira and midfielder Christian Jimenez from Chivas USA in exchange for defender Brian Dunseth.
RSL also sent a third round 2007 supplemental draft pick to the Kansas City Wizards on Thursday for the rights to midfielder Diego Walsh.
After finishing with a 5-22-5 record in their inaugural season, RSL are looking for new blood all over the field, and adding Sequeira gives the club a tough-nosed central defender who can also play in a defensive midfield role, the spot he normally occupies for the Costa Rican national team. At 28 years old, Sequeira is the same age as Dunseth, but the club views his addition as an upgrade in both ability and experience.
"We're basically looking for more leadership and senior experience with such a young team," Real head coach John Ellinger said. "It might not be a popular decision for some, but it's kind of where we're headed."
RSL General Manager Steve Pastorino said parting with Dunseth was not easy. The eight-year MLS veteran scored the game-winning goal in the club's first-ever home game, a 1-0 victory against the Colorado Rapids on April 16. He started each of his 24 appearances with the club in 2005.
"It's fair to say Brian was a warrior this season. He was definitely a guy we could count on as much as anybody in our back four. This is a little bittersweet," Pastorino said. "But to get a player of Sequeira's ability and experience was an opportunity we couldn't pass up."
Sequeira joined MLS and Chivas USA last spring from Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa, with whom he spent five seasons. With Chivas this year, Sequeira was a bright spot, providing rugged defense and two goals - a game-tying tally against the San Jose Earthquakes on April 9 and a game-winner against the New England Revolution on July 22.
Prior to joining Saprissa, Sequeira played for Dutch club Feyenoord (1997-99) and German club Karlsruhe (1999-2000). He has represented Costa Rica at the under-17 and under-20 world championships and qualifying for the 2000 Olympics, and he was an integral part of the ticos' side that qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup this year.
Jimenez is a 19-year-old attacking midfielder who played under Ellinger with the U.S. U-17s. He didn't make any first team appearances for Chivas this season after he was taken with the club's second selection (14th overall) in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft, but he tallied one goal and two assists for the club's reserve team.
Walsh spent the past two seasons with the Kansas City Wizards after originally being drafted in the first round of the 2003 SuperDraft by the Columbus Crew. In 1,316 career minutes, Walsh has scored one goal.
Jason Halpin is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
