RSL likely to trade striker for allocation

Real Salt Lake is expected to finalize a trade today that would involve sending Alecko Eskandarian to Chivas USA in exchange in exchange for a major allocation. Both parties have agreed to the trade but as of Tuesday night it was still pending league approval.

Eskandarian spent half of the 2007 season with Real Salt Lake, appearing in 17 games and scoring one goal. The New Jersey native was acquired in the mid-season trade that involved sending Jeff Cunningham to Toronto FC.

It will be the second trade between the two 2005 expansion teams. Three weeks ago RSL traded Atiba Harris to Chivas for a third-round draft pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft.

The exact dollar amount of the allocation RSL is acquiring isn't known, but it's expected to free up a significant of salary cap space for future signing. Eskandarian is a five-year veteran of MLS, spending the first five years of his career with D.C. United.

E-mail: jedward@desnews.com