SALT LAKE CITY – Real Salt Lake has just confirmed it has traded its all-time leading scorer Alvaro Saborio to D.C. United in exchange for Luis Silva, who scored 11 goals for D.C. last season.
The club said 33-year-old Saborio is its all-time leading scorer with 63 goals in 127 MLS matches and 79 goals in 159 matches across all competitions.
He will leave Salt Lake as the second-leading scorer in Major League Soccer since his arrival in 2010, when he came on loan from FC Sion in Switzerland before RSL later acquired his rights outright.
“Alvaro was a legend with this club and we thank him for his time spent with RSL,” Real Salt Lake Technical Director Craig Waibel said. “But the time has come for us to evolve as a club and this trade is a great opportunity to add a talented player in Luis Silva who can bring a lot to this team.”
According to RSL, 26-year-old Silva was drafted fourth overall in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft by Toronto FC after playing collegiately at UC-Santa Barbara.
After registering five goals and five assists in 30 matches in his rookie season, Silva was traded to D.C. United midway through the 2013 season in exchange for allocation money.
Since joining D.C. United, he has 15 goals and six assists in 54 appearances, including a career-best 11 goals in 2014.
Player: Alvaro Saborio
Position: Forward
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 170 lbs.
Date of Birth: March 25, 1982
Birthplace: San Carlos, Costa Rica
Citizenship: Costa Rica
How acquired: Signed on loan from FC Sion (Switzerland) on March 5, 2010; Completed transfer from FC Sion on December 1, 2010
How departed: Traded to D.C. United in exchange for MF Luis Silva on July 16, 2015
Player: Luis Silva
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 163 lbs.
Date of Birth: October 12, 1988
Birthplace: Los Angeles, Calif.
Citizenship: USA
How acquired: Traded from D.C. United in exchange for FW Alvaro Saborio on July 16, 2015
