A year and one day after being hailed as arguably the biggest signing in Rapids history, Christian Gomez was traded Monday back to D.C. United.
Gomez, 34, returns to the team where he won MVP honors in 2006 and the MLS Cup in 2004. The Rapids also included second-year backup goalkeeper Mike Graczyk, an international roster spot and will pay a percentage of Gomez’s salary in the deal.
In exchange, the Rapids get Honduran defender Ivan Guerrero, a 2010 second-round draft pick and the designated roster spot they gave up to acquire Gomez last February.
In what amounted to a year-long rental, Gomez scored three goals and had six assists in 20 games for the Rapids. His best games were against United and in the All-Star Game, which raised questions among the coaching staff about his effort.
The Argentine midfielder languished on the bench once coach Gary Smith took over last August for the departed Fernando Clavijo.
“I felt the team just really didn’t adapt well to Christian’s style or what they were being asked to produce with him in the team,” Smith said Monday. “I think it was a determent to Christian Gomez and the team as well.”
Smith said he likes the deal, has no personal issues with Gomez and is happy he can return to the club that made him a three-time Best XI selection.
Smith said he realized last season the Rapids did not have the time or the money to build the right kind of team around Gomez — one that would cover his defensive responsibilities and allow him to push forward to create and score goals from the midfield.
Rapids vice president of finance Charlie Wright said the team had discussions with every other team in Major League Soccer at the end of last season about trading Gomez. Wright said there were three teams, including United, still interested when the deal was finalized.
Wright would not say how much of Gomez’s salary would be on Colorado’s books for this season, but he did confirm it was only for one season. Gomez’s base salary last season was $385,000, and he was set to make $430,000 in guaranteed compensation.
In deals such as this in the past, teams usually are on the hook for 40 to 60 percent of the money.
The addition of Guerrero, 31, gives the Rapids depth and experience on the left and right side of their defense, where younger players Jordan Harvey and Kosuke Kimura are returning. Guerrero also can play midfield.
He played briefly for Coventry City in England and Penarol in Uruguay before joining the Chicago Fire in 2005.
