Another Real surprise move

Last month, Real Salt Lake traded away its leading scorer. Thursday, it traded away its ironman.

Just days after dropping yet another match, the struggling MLS club shipped veteran 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.

"Trading a veteran with the attributes and professionalism of a Chris Klein is never an easy thing to do, but making this deal allows us to bring in a pair of young players that are ready to step in and contribute right away," said RSL technical director John Ellinger.

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 that 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 rate and professionalism, the trade seems like an overall positive for winless Real Salt Lake. Not only does the transaction fill one of two open roster spots, but it creates even more salary cap space 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.

Unfortunately for Real, he won't join his new club until the completion of the FIFA World Youth Championships, which begins 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 University for four years before being drafted in the second round of the 2007 MLS SuperDraft by the Galaxy.