RSL trades Klein to Galaxy

Last month Real Salt Lake traded away its leading scorer. Today, it traded away its iron man.

Deseret Morning News sources confirmed Thursday that the struggling MLS club shipped Chris Klein to the Los Angeles Galaxy in exchange for youngsters Robbie Findley and Nate Sturgis.

The 31-year-old Klein has played 90 minutes in every RSL match this year, and last season he started all 32 matches and played the full 90 minutes in all but four.

Sturgis, 19, has appeared in eight matches for the Galaxy this year, while Findley, 21, has played in nine matches and scored two goals thus far in his rookie season.

The trade comes just days after the Galaxy beat RSL 3-2 at the Home Depot Center.

After the match, Klein said, "results aside, I think our team is growing and still moving in the right direction, that may sound kind of odd, but that's what we have to believe at this point. This group is going to stick together and we're going to go forward."

Now he's moving forward as David Beckham's future teammate.

Despite Klein's outstanding work ethic and professionalism, all in all the trade seems like a positive. Not only does the transaction fill one of two open roster spots for RSL, but it creates even more salary cap room for a team that was approximately $350,000 under the salary cap already.

On the field, the club is adding a pair of promising youngsters.

Sturgis, who can play holding midfielder and numerous positions along the back line, is a member of the Under-20 U.S. National Team along with new RSL teammates Freddy Adu and Chris Seitz. He won't join his new club until the completion of the FIFA World Youth Championships, which begin next week in Canada and continues until mid-July.

Sturgis is a member of the Generation adidas program and will occupy the team's 10th and final developmental roster spot.

Findley is a very speedy forward who starred for Oregon State for four years before being drafted in the second round of the 2007 MLS SuperDraft by the Galaxy.

Findley arrives in Salt Lake City today and will be available for Saturday's home match against D.C. United.

Even though the team is by no means giving up on the 2007 season, trading away one of its best veteran players is definitely a signal that the team is looking to the future.

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E-mail: jedward@desnews.com