RSL adds Cabrera, Scarlett to roster

Real Salt Lake announced the signing of international defenders Gustavo Cabrera and Robert Scarlett on Sunday, even though the duo won't be eligible to play until Aug. 15 due to FIFA international transfer rules.

Cabrera, 25, has spent the past 10 years with Central American club Comunicaciones, in addition to being a regular for the Guatemalan National Team. Cabrera has been in Utah the past two weeks rehabilitating a knee injury he suffered in the Gold Cup.

Scarlett, 26, is a left-footed Jamaican international who possesses outstanding speed and a penchant for going forward. He is also versatile enough to play a left midfield position.

"Each of these players solidified their standings in our eyes with their recent Gold Cup performances," said RSL coach John Ellinger. "We had submitted discovery claims on each player several months ago, expecting them to be eligible for the second half of our season, and their play with Guatemala and Jamaica . . . in the CONCACAF Gold Cup warrants their addition to our team as we make the playoff push in August and September."

With 13 games remaining in its inaugural season, RSL is in fifth place in the Western Conference standings with 16 points — five behind fourth-place Colorado in the race for the final playoff spot.

Salt Lake has three more matches before Cabrera and Scarlett would be eligible on Aug. 15, leaving them just 10 matches to help RSL make that playoff push.

On Aug. 15, Real will also get a boost from midfielder Adolfo Gregorio, who the team acquired from Colorado in a June 29 trade. Even though he spent all of last season with Darlington FC of the English Second Division, his rights still belonged to Colorado after selecting him in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft.

Gregorio's signing was a simple one. The team merely signed Gregorio to a senior roster contract, and then reworked Luke Kreamalmeyer's contract from a senior roster contract to a development contract.

Making room for Cabrera and Scarlett won't be nearly as easy. RSL must release two senior roster players by Aug. 15 to create roster space for the two new defenders.

Two RSL players who could potentially be released are Dipsy Selolwane and Leighton O'Brien, even though neither player is a defender.

Even though all MLS player contracts became guaranteed on July 1, there's a loophole that enables teams to designate two players for semiguaranteed contracts from July 1 to Sept. 1. After Sept. 1, even their contracts become guaranteed.