After a quiet start to the offseason, the moves are starting to trickle in for the Colorado Rapids.
On Wednesday, the club announced that Colombian midfielder Jaime Castrillón, who led the club in goals in 2012, will not be returning for the 2014 season.
Castrillón arrived from Colombian side Independiente Medellín before the 2012 season as head coach Oscar Pareja’s first signing, and he made an immediate impact, leading the Rapids with eight goals in 29 starts in 2012.
But an unspecified knee condition discovered in year-end physicals kept him from playing for the first half of 2013. When Castrillón was healthy again, his spot in the lineup had already been filled and he was limited to spot duty the rest of the season, making just 11 appearances and scoring one goal.
The former Colombia international made his lone goal this season count, though, scoring deep into the second half against Real Salt Lake on August 3, helping the Rapids reclaim the Rocky Mountain Cup from their archrivals.
With the midseason additions of Vicente Sánchez and Gabriel Torres along with the emergence of MLS Rookie of the Year Dillon Powers in central midfield, Castrillón became expendable.
“Jaime wants to play first-team football, and so he’s going to look for those opportunities,” Rapids technical director Paul Bravo told the club website. “We want to thank him for what he gave to the Rapids, as our leading scorer in 2012, and a hardworking, strong player and presence this past season."
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The announcement comes on the heels of the announcement that defender Diego Calderón had re-signed with Ecuadorian club LDU Quito.
Castrillón received his green card this year and has repeatedly expressed his affection for the United States, perhaps leaving a return to MLS a possibility.
Chris Bianchi covers the Colorado Rapids for MLSsoccer.com.
