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SANDY — At this point in the season, it’s a pretty well-known fact that Real Salt Lake has one of the deepest rosters in Major League Soccer. The Salt Lake club made it even deeper Wednesday by acquiring defender Brandon McDonald from D.C. United.
RSL obtained McDonald in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft along with a conditional pick the following year in 2015.
It’s a move the Salt Lake club decided to make with three of its central defenders, Chris Schuler, Kwame Watson-Siriboe and Carlos Salcedo, out with injuries, leaving RSL with just two center backs going into Saturday’s match against Sporting Kansas City.
“We were down to two healthy center backs on the roster and we just wanted to bring in another talented and experienced guy and from time to time in the trade market, values pop up and we thought Brandon was a really good value for what we had to give up for him,” RSL general manager Garth Lagerwey told ESPN 700 Wednesday.
McDonald told ESPN 700 he is excited about this opportunity and he’s ready to earn a spot, fight for minutes, and live the Salt Lake club’s slogan — "The team is the star."
“I think that’s a great slogan,” McDonald told ESPN 700 Wednesday. “This is a team sport and I think (RSL’s) slogan says it all — the team is the star. So for me, just hearing that first and coming in and meeting the guys, just seeing it in their eyes and you can see from how they play that it’s not about one person; it’s about the team.”
Lagerwey echoed those sentiments, saying that McDonald will have to earn playing time.
“Like everyone, the team is the star,” said Lagerwey. “And those guys are going to come in and they are going to compete every day and the guys who have been competing and the guys who have been there, they’re going to get the first bite of the apple and they’ve earned that.”
McDonald also says he’s here to continue to learn.
“I would consider myself a student of the game,” said McDonald. “I always try to learn something new and better my craft. I would say I’m a communicator, kind of physical, and just someone who’s starting to understand the game more and more. I’m maturing and just trying to understand the game as much as I can.”
The 27-year-old defender has been a part of the league since 2008 when he began his MLS career with the Los Angeles Galaxy. McDonald then played for the San Jose Earthquakes from 2009-11 before landing in D.C. midseason in 2011. McDonald has netted seven goals and nine assists in his seven years in the league.
The Claret and Cobalt returns to the pitch inside Rio Tinto Stadium Saturday as it hosts MLS Eastern Conference opponent Sporting Kansas City. Kira Terry is a sports writer covering Real Salt Lake for KSL.com. Follow her on Twitter, @kiraterry.
