The New York Red Bulls and Montreal Impact pulled off the first blockbuster trade of the MLS offseason on Tuesday.
In exchange for midfielder Felipe and the top spot in the allocation order, New York sent Cameroon international fullback Ambroise Oyongo, midfielder Eric Alexander, allocation money and a 2015 international roster spot north to Quebec.
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It’s the first major move from first-year Red Bulls sporting director Ali Curtis, who has been under fire from the team’s fanbase after dismissing former boss Mike Petke, and reunites new head coach Jesse Marsch with the 24-year old Brazilian midfielder he brought to Montreal when he served as manager ahead of their expansion season in 2012.
Montreal, meanwhile, filled a long-standing need at left back with the 23-year-old Oyongo, who is currently with Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations, and bolstered an already deep midfield with the addition of Alexander, who started 60 goals for New York over the past two seasons and scored six goals to go with 11 assists.
"We feel that this trade puts us in a great position," Curtis said in a statement. "Felipe gives us options going forward that will allow us to play the style of soccer that we want to play. He is the type of player that can make an impact immediately and be a part of our future."
"While we have a top target in mind, we are considering all options to make use of the top allocation spot," Curtis added.
Should New York use their newfound poll position in the allocation order on Anderlecht midfielder Sacha Kljestan, who was linked with a Red Bulls move after the New Year, Marsch would add another familiar face to the squad. The duo played together at Chivas USA from 2006 to 2009, and were player-coach when Marsch was an assistant on Bob Bradley’s US national team staff.
Felipe, 24, joins the Red Bulls with three years of experience as an MLS regular, a period in which he started 86 games for the Impact, scored 12 goals and dished out 24 assists. His best season in Montreal came under Marsch in 2012, when he scored four goals and added 10 assists.
“It's a trade that helps improve our current roster by adding two quality players, while the allocation money and international spot gives us more flexibility within the salary cap and our roster," Impact technical director Adam Braz said in a statement. "The decision to move Felipe was not easy as he`s been with the club since the beginning in MLS. We’d like to thank him for his time with the club over the last few years and we wish him the best of luck in the future.”
Oyongo deputized behind Roy Miller and Thierry Henry last season in New York (three assists in 13 games played), his first season in MLS. He also appeared as a substitute in the club’s first three playoff games and assisted on Bradley Wright-Phillips’ 90th-minute winner in the knockout round win over Sporting KC.
At the international level, Oyongo has played eight games for Cameroon, scoring his first goal on January 20 in a 1-1 draw with Mali in the African Cup of Nations. He made his debut on July 28, 2013, against Gabon. He also took part in the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 2011.
Alexander, 26, is embarking on his sixth season in MLS. He's scored eight goals and added 20 assists in 137 games played, including 105 starts. After stints with FC Dallas and the Portland Timbers, he played in all 34 games in each of the past two seasons with the Red Bulls.
