Will Rose City be a better fit for Claude Dielna?
New England, where Dielna has spent the last year and a half as a central defender for the Revolution, certainly wasn’t a good one.
The Athletic reports the Portland Timbers, the reigning MLS Cup runners-up, are working to acquire the French defender who didn’t even make the match 18 in Foxboro from July onward last season. As part of the deal, New England reportedly would receive $100,000 in General Allocation Money for Dielna.
The Revolution signed Dielna in the summer of 2017 to add depth to the team’s back line. Portland would be the 31 year-old’s ninth club since his career began in 2006 with Lorient.
Dielna does comes with a huge amount of experience – he’s made stops at Olympiakos, Ajaccio, and Sheffield Wednesday and is capable of playing sweeper and left back. But he also comes with a steep price tag. He is one of MLS’ most expensive defenders, with a guaranteed salary of $909,861, according to the MLS Players Union.