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SANDY — Real Salt Lake head coach Pablo Mastroeni confirmed Thursday the club has a trade "in the works" to send David Ochoa to D.C. United. Ochoa has not appeared in an MLS match for RSL this season.
"I don't know if it's finalized, but I know it's in the works," Mastroeni said. "I think it's a great situation for David to continue progressing his career, and I think it's a win-win for everyone. He wasn't getting any playing time here and the fact that he's going to D.C. with a real opportunity to play I think is a great situation for David."
The first to report the trade early Thursday morning was Washington Post soccer insider Steven Goff; it was followed up by Pablo Iglesias Maurer of The Athletic who cited "multiple sources."
The exact amount of allocation money has yet to be reported, but Goff said, "D.C. will pay only a portion of the allocation money right away. A larger amount would go to RSL if Ochoa signs a new contract with D.C."
That big if is what kept RSL and Ochoa at arm's length over the past few months, as general manager Elliot Fall said Wednesday the club made "multiple offers" to extend Ochoa's contract but was unable to reach an agreement. His contract ends in December and several international clubs are rumored to have interest in signing him on a free transfer.
Ochoa's last MLS action was in last year's playoffs when RSL made a surprising run to the Western Conference Final. He started and played a full 90 minutes in RSL's lone U.S. Open Cup appearance this year on April 20 against Hailstorm FC, when RSL was eliminated in a 1-0 loss at home.
On July 12, Ochoa took to Instagram to respond to fans asking if he was still a part of RSL.
#RSL goalkeeper David Ochoa says on Instagram that he is "still an RSL player," he's "just not allowed to train with the team…and can't leave." pic.twitter.com/C6PYXTzGKW
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) July 12, 2022
"Yes I'm still an RSL player," Ochoa said on his Instagram story. "I'm just not allowed to train with the team...and can't leave."
Fall appeared on ESPN 700 twice since the Instagram post and reiterated both times that the club would not comment on players' social media activity, but did say the club was in "regular communication" with Ochoa and evaluating options for him both within and without the club.
Ochoa joined the RSL Academy in Arizona in 2016 and made his professional debut with the Monarchs in April 2018. He signed a contract with RSL in Nov. 2018 and made his first-team debut on Nov. 8, 2020.
He established himself as the starting keeper for RSL in 2021 at just 20 years old, seemingly giving RSL a franchise cornerstone for the next decade or more.
"I left home at 15 to join this club," Ochoa said on his Instagram story on July 12. "Whatever goes down, I'm grateful for the man I am today because of them."
