He was once a highly-touted No. 10 playmaker for the Colorado Rapids. Now, Martin Rivero is heading to Los Angeles where he will suit up for Western Conference foe Chivas USA.
The Argentinian attacking midfielder was reunited with former Rapids’ assistant coach Wilmer Cabrera, now the Goats’ head coach, after his rights were dealt to Chivas USA on Thursday in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft.
“Martin is a very talented player who already knows the league,” Cabrera said in a news release announcing the trade. “His personality, technical ability and energy will help us a lot. He is a hard and relentless worker on the field, always looking to gain and maintain possession, an area we need to improve. Once settled, he will blend in well with our current players and make us a better team.”
Rivero, however, could face a challenge working his way into the Goats’ starting 11, as Mauro Rosales — acquired this offseason in a trade with the Seattle Sounders — has been impressive thus far in 2014, leading the club with three assists.
The coming into the 2013 season. Entering the final year of a loan deal from Argentina’s Rosario Central, he was a year removed from appearing in 30 games and leading the Rapids in assists.
But injuries sidelined Rivero and opened the door for rookie Dillon Powers, who grabbed a starting job and never looked back, going on to win 2013 MLS rookie of the year.
Rivero, , could have been in line for a pay raise with the Rapids when his loan deal expired, but instead of being the team’s centerpiece he as the .
“It wasn’t a cost issue,” Rapids technical director Paul Bravo said in January when the Rapids announced the 24-year-old would not return. “The cost wasn’t a problem for us. There was a tentative agreement, but when we looked at what we have, we think we’re set. … We have plenty of options. That was a bigger factor than anything else.”
Among those options is the club’s first ever designated player Gabriel Torres, to whom the Rapids gave Rivero’s No. 10 shirt upon his departure. They’ve also got creative Uruguayan playmaker Vicente Sanchez, who has opened the 2014 season with four goals from the penalty spot.
The club can also look to Honduran international Marvin Chavez, 20-year-old homegrown Dillon Serna, , or 2013 team MVP Powers.
he was happy to pick up an extra SuperDraft pick in the deal.
“Getting another pick is always helpful, and will give us more options in the draft next January,” Bravo said. “We want to thank Martin again for his service to the club and wish him the best with Chivas.”
Dan Boniface: 303-954-1104, dboniface@denverpost.com or twitter.com/danielboniface
