Christmas comes early for Adu, RSL

Christmas has arrived a little early for both the Real Salt Lake organization and Freddy Adu.

While RSL players, coaches and front office executives heaped oodles of praise on its newest 17-year-old soccer star at Tuesday's introductory press conference, Adu expressed similar elation about being traded to Real Salt Lake from D.C. United.

"I just want to say I can't be happier to be here," said Adu at the Grand America hotel Tuesday afternoon. "It's something I wanted. This sort of has the same feeling when I first came in the league (at age 14). I feel reborn. I'm excited for a new chapter in my life."

Adu spent the first three years of his MLS career with D.C. United, a rocky time in which he never saw eye-to-eye with coach Peter Nowak. Even though he played in 87 career games amassing 17 assists and 11 goals, it was almost always in an awkward position — outside midfielder.

Adu's natural position is attacking midfield, and he knows that RSL coach John Ellinger, his former youth national team coach, plans on starting him at attacking midfielder as often as possible in 2007.

"Coming here, I knew this was the best environment for me to be in to succeed as a player, and to get a chance to play my natural position," said Adu. "I just can't wait to be in the middle of the field, passing balls up to (Jason) Kreis and (Jeff) Cunningham."

RSL acquired Adu along with D.C. United backup keeper Nick Rimando by trading D.C. a major allocation, goalkeeper Jay Nolly and future considerations which include a portion of replacement allocation money if Adu is transferred overseas.

An allocation is essentially money that MLS teams can use to sign new players. While some teams covet allocations, in its first two years in MLS, Real has proven that it covets proven talent more.

"We'd rather get the proven player and let the other teams spend money and take chances on players who may or may not be successful in this league," said Real general manager Steve Pastorino.

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E-mail: jedward@desnews.com