New England Revolution Trade Shalrie Joseph To Chivas USA

In what can best described as a shocking way to begin the day, the New England Revolution have traded their captain and designated player Shalrie Joseph to Chivas USA for Blair Gavin, a 2nd round draft pick in the 2012 SuperDraft and allocation money.

News of the trade leaked this morning on Twitter thanks to agent Ron Waxman and was confirmed by both clubs a few hours later.

.@cdchivasusa acquires DP @shalriejoseph21 from @nerevolution. Great pick up for the Goats. Best of luck to the superstar on the west coast.

— Ron Waxman (@RonWaxman) August 1, 2012

The 34-year-old Joseph had spent his entire MLS career with the Revs since being drafted 14th overall in the 2002 SuperDraft. He spent his first professional season on loan with a USL-3 side before becoming a regular part of the Revs lineup in the defensive midfield. He was named to the MLS Best XI for the first time in 2005 and was a finalist for MVP in 2009. He was named captain in 2010 after Steve Ralson left the club.

In return the Revs receive Gavin along with the other mentioned considerations. Gavin has made 40 appearances for Chivas USA since being drafted 10th overall in 2010. The addition of Joseph bolsters the Chivas USA midfield and should provide a boost as they attempt to fight back in to a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The trade came as an apparent shock to Revs fans who immediately began expressing their confusion about the move on social media. Many expect the large amount of salary cap space cleared by the move to be the precursor to another addition for the club. However, with the transfer window closed, there are limits on the type of players the team could possible sign.

As per league rules, the amount of allocation money involved in the trade was not disclosed.