Once a big-money signing for the New York Red Bulls, Gonzalo Veron looks set to turn out for their Atlantic Cup rivals after D.C. United selected him in Stage 2 of the 2017 MLS Re-Entry Draft.
Veron's selection highlighted a process that also saw both Los Angeles teams pick up players. The LA Galaxy picked up seven-year MLS veteran midfielder Servando Carrasco, while LAFC selected midfielder Calum Mallace.
Gonzalo Veron with New York Red Bulls in 2017 | USA Today Sports
Per MLS rules, the three players selected must be issued genuine offers by their new teams. Any Re-Entry eligible player (full list) not selected on Thursday is now available to all MLS teams on a first come, first serve basis.
Veron, 27, joined the Red Bulls in 2015 and occupied a Designated Player slot, but the Argentine winger struggled to break into the starting lineup for Jesse Marsch's side. He started just 13 of the 60 games he appeared in across three seasons for the Red Bulls, totaling just 1,729 minutes in that time. He did have his best season for New York in 2017, when he put up six goals and three assists in 777 regular-season minutes before adding another goal in the playoffs. The Red Bulls declined his option following the end of the season.
Carrasco, a 29-year-old defensive midfielder, will be making a return to his native Southern California after featuring for the Seattle Sounders, Houston Dynamo, Sporting Kansas City and Orlando City since being drafted out of the University of California in 2011. He has featured in 126 regular-season games (77 starts) and chipped in two goals and five assists across that time. Carrasco will be re-united at the StubHub Center with Sigi Schmid, the coach who drafted him and coached him for three years in Seattle.
Mallace, a versatile 27-year-old midfielder, was on the books at Seattle to end 2017, though has seen all of his MLS action with the Montreal Impact. The Quebec club originally drafted him in 2012, and he would go on to make 80 appearances in five-and-a-half seasons for the Bleu-Blanc-Noir, notching a goal and six assists. Should he accept LAFC's offer, Mallace will be the 10th player on the expansion club's roster.
2017 MLS Re-Entry Draft - Stage 2 Results
ROUND 1
Club |
Pick |
|
---|---|---|
1 |
LA Galaxy |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/servando-carrasco">Servando Carrasco</a> |
2 |
D.C. United |
<a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/gonzalo-veron">Gonzalo Veron</a> |
3 |
Colorado Rapids |
Pass |
4 |
Minnesota United FC |
Pass |
5 |
Orlando City SC |
Pass |
6 |
Montreal Impact |
Pass |
7 |
Philadelphia Union |
Pass |
8 |
New England Revolution |
Pass |
9 |
Real Salt Lake |
Pass |
10 |
FC Dallas |
Pass |
11 |
San Jose Earthquakes |
Pass |
12 |
Sporting Kansas City |
Pass |
13 |
Atlanta United |
Pass |
14 |
Chicago Fire |
Pass |
15 |
New York Red Bulls |
Pass |
16 |
Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
Pass |
17 |
Portland Timbers |
Pass |
18 |
New York City FC |
Pass |
19 |
Houston Dynamo |
Pass |
20 |
Columbus Crew SC |
Pass |
21 |
Seattle Sounders |
Pass |
22 |
Toronto FC |
Pass |
23 |
Los Angeles Football Club |
<a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/calum-mallace">Calum Mallace</a> |
ROUND 2
Club |
Pick |
|
---|---|---|
1 |
LA Galaxy |
Pass |
2 |
D.C. United |
Pass |
3 |
Los Angeles Football Club |
Pass |