A day after exchanging Mauro Rosales for Nigel Reo-Coker, Chivas USA have made another big move by acquiring center back Jhon Kennedy Hurtado from the Chicago Fire in exchange for allocation money, the team announced Friday.
A veteran of six seasons in Major League Soccer, Hurtado joins the Rojiblancos after recording 19 starts and netting a goal for the Fire this year. Hurtado will be eligible for selection in Chivas’ road match against the New England Revolution this Saturday (7:30 pm, MLS Live).
"Jhon is one of the top center backs in MLS. He is athletic, strong, very good in the air, and excellent in one-versus-one situations," Chivas USA head coach Wilmer Cabrera said in a statement. "His experience and winning mentality will be a huge addition to our club."
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A native of Palmira, Colombia, the 30-year-old central defender broke in to MLS in 2009 with Seattle Sounders FC, where he spent five seasons before being traded to Chicago. A physical presence on the backline, Hurtado has appeared in 127 league games (122 starts) and tallied a pair of goals.
“We felt this was a good opportunity to gain additional allocation money that will allow for flexibility moving forward,” said Fire head coach and director of soccer Frank Yallop in a statement. “I’d like to thank Jhon for his time here in Chicago this season and wish him well with Chivas USA.”
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In his first MLS season, Hurtado was named as one of the finalists for MLS Defender of the Year and selected to play in the MLS All-Star Game against English side Everton. In his final season with Seattle, the center back tied a career-best with 27 appearances while helping Sounders FC to their fifth consecutive playoff appearance.
Hurtado made his professional debut in 2004 with Colombian side Union Magdalena and went on to appear in 121 games between his country’s first and second division with several teams, including Deportivo Cali, before making the jump to MLS.
