Whenever "Juan Agudelo," "transfer" and "rumors" surface, we pull up this story about the boatload of money the Red Bulls were in for when the young, mercurial striker finally makes the inevitable jump from MLS to Europe.
Chivas USA, if you'll remember, offered not only defender Heath Pearce at a time when the Red Bulls needed back line help, but a substantial chunk of his transfer fee, and by some reports, all of it, to acquire Agudelo's services. This got us licking our chops when Agudelo and Celtic were flirting over the winter.
Yesterday, Agudelo was traded from Chivas to the New England Revolution in exchange for allocation money.
Gone is the cash that would've come the Red Bulls way if he was sold to, say, an Eredivisie side before the MLS transfer window closed Monday.
The Revolution, who really need some offensive help with only four goals in nine games, brought Agudelo in to score goals and to set up goals, but it's unlikely this is anything more than a rental, with the youngster reportedly wanting designated player money and his contract is up at the end of the year.
There's no word on whether or not the Red Bulls are going to get any of the allocation money sent Chivas' way, but even then, it's almost definitely lower than what it'd be if he went abroad. It's not as if the Red Bulls are hard up for money -- they've got the highest payroll in the league -- but a little extra roster flexibility is always nice.
It was always a race against time with the Agudelo money, with us in the New York area hoping the striker's ambition oupaced Chivas' patience in trying to deal with that ambition. It hasn't and now he's a Rev. At least until the end of the season.