Red Bulls Trade Agudelo to Chivas USA In 1977, a little-known player from Yugoslavia, Jadranko Topic, appeared in a mere six games for the Cosmos of the N.A.S.L. The players were treated well and traveled in a style befitting the galacticos before the term came into wide use. Asked one day if he would like to be traded so he could get more playing time, Topic looked around the star-studded locker room and said, "I sit here." I sit here. Fast-forward to 2012. Juan Agudelo, the Red Bulls" young striking stallion grew weary of sitting here and on Thursday, the player from Colombia who is a product of the club's academy system received his wish when he was traded to Chivas USA for defender Heath Pearce, for what the league calls allocation money (which can be spent over and above Major League Soccer's salary budget) and future considerations (which are believed to be a chunk of any money from Agudelo's near-certain sale to a European club). During a conference call Thursday, Red Bulls Sporting Director and General Manager Erik Soler said: Well first and foremost I think it's important to state that the initiative for this trade was not in our hands. We had conversations with Juan for a long period of time about his future and development. It had become clear that he thought that his chance to develop as a player would maybe get better chances if he played somewhere else. We still don't think that's the case, but sometimes when you work in this sport you have to put on larger glasses. We want to support Juan but he wants to try something new and we'll give him that opportunity. We had numerous people calling us from the league about Juan, and we had turned everybody down for a long time. But in the end, when it became clear that he really wanted to try something else, and Hans and I discussed it, we don't want to be anywhere close to giving him less opportunity than what he wants himself. And of course the fact that Kenny Cooper had proven to be such a huge success made the decision easier for us. We really like Juan, we think he's a great prospect and he's been with this club for many, many years. We took the chance when he came now and spoke to him a few days ago and he said he'd still like to have that opportunity. Then Chivas came to us and offered what they did. We thought it was right thing to do. Agudelo is that most precious of commodities - a good-size (6 foot 1), young (19), incredibly skillful striker with oodles of potential. Incredibly, Agudelo has played 15 times for the United States senior national team but has had difficulty cracking the Red Bulls" starting lineup last year and this season. This year, albeit, he began the M.L.S. season on the club's injury list after sustaining a knee injury as the U.S. failed to qualify for the London Games and was supplanted by Kenny Cooper as Thierry Henry's running mate. Check out his near-goal on a bicycle kick against Philadelphia last week. Later in the game, Agudelo unleashed a full volley on goal from a long cross-field pass. As the analyst Taylor Twellman said at the time, "You just can't teach that." And so it is. Before the team's failure, it appeared that the Red Bulls were content with Agudelo carving a spot with the Olympic team, showcasing his talents in England to legions of European scouts, then selling him to the highest bidder. Now, however, Soler said that the Red Bulls stand to benefit financially if Chivas USA eventually pulls the trigger and sells Agudelo. "I am convinced that Juan at one time will go to Europe, and of course we are ultimately in apposition to financially have a gain if that should happen," Soler said. The acquisition of Pearce gives the Red Bulls another experienced defender and could cushion the blow should Wilman Conde, who was arrested last week in New Jersey on an assault charge, face action by either the league or the club. Now with Agudelo gone, only Conde (Colombia), Roy Miller (Costa Rica) and Rafael Marquez (Mexico) give the Red Bulls any Latin flavor. Next week, Agudelo and the former Red Bull star Juan Pablo Angel (a fellow native of Colombia) will return to Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., in the jersey of Chivas USA. What do you think of the trade? Thumbs up or thumbs down?