MLS’ Diaz Arce Traded to Clash
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NEW YORK — Major League Soccer’s all-time leading goal scorer, Raul Diaz Arce, was traded for the second time in less than a year Wednesday, part of a three-team deal that sent the Salvadoran striker to the San Jose Clash.
The New England Revolution swapped Diaz Arce for Giovanni Savarese and a 2000 draft selection from the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, who then packaged Diaz Arce along with Chilean midfielder Marcelo Vega to the Clash for an “allocated player to be named” and future considerations.
MLS’ single-entity structure means the league signs all players, assigning the star acquisitions among the 12 clubs.
New England’s willingness to make the deal reportedly stems from friction between El Salvador’s Diaz Arce, who was traded from D.C. United before the 1998 season and has 56 goals in his three MLS seasons, and Italian player-coach Walter Zenga.
In another trade, D.C. United sent Scott Garlick, the starting goalkeeper on its 1997 title-winning team but relegated to reserve at the end of last season, to Tampa Bay for the Mutiny’s first-round selection in this year’s college draft.
