Marvell Wynne traded to Toronto FC (UPDATED)

Just four days after being benched for the first time since taking over as the Red Bull starting right back last July, Marvell Wynne has played his last game for the club that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 MLS Draft.

The Red Bulls have traded Wynne to the Toronto FC for a second round pick in the 2008 MLS Draft and a partial allocation, multiple sources within MLS confirmed on Tuesday. The deal reunites Wynne with former Red Bulls coach Mo Johnston, who traded up in in last year’s draft to make him the first player chosen.

Both Red Bulls coach Bruce Arena and Johnson declined to comment about the trade when contacted on Tuesday.

A former standout for the U.S. Under-20 national team, Wynne started 23 games for the Red Bulls last season, impressing with his blazing speed and imposing strength. His poor touch and raw technical ability made him a work in progress, which may have made him expendable in the eyes of Red Bulls coach Bruce Arena, who started Hunter Freeman in his place on Sunday against FC Dallas.

The move also frees up a senior roster spot the club needed for newly-acquired Colombian forward Juan Pablo Angel.

TRADE ANALYSIS- Was Bruce Arena a Marvell Wynne fan? The impression I get is he wasn't. Funny thing is I asked Arena about Wynne and his response made it seem like the last thing he wanted to do was praise the kid. Nothing wrong with that. it should also be noted that Bob Bradley wasn't a big fan of Wynne has a prospect when Wynne was coming out of college so if you're of the belief that Arena and Bradley have similar tastes in players then it wouldn't be a stretch to think that Arena wasn't sold on Wynne ever developing.

Is Wynne raw? Of course he is. Is he capable of developing the technical skill he needs to go from just being a fast defender to being a real blue-chipper? That's the big question. Apparently Arena got his answer after watching Wynne this preseason.

The trade itself is a bit surprising because a second round draft pick and small allocation (I don't have the exact number but I have been told it's a small one) doesn't sound like much for a player chosen No. 1 overall a year ago. Then again Arena and company weren't the people who selected Wynne. You should also consider that if Toronto does finish with the worst record in MLS then suddenly that second-round pick is No. 14 overall in what is supposed to be a pretty good draft in 2008.

It should also be noted that Wynne graduated from Generation adidas status heading into this season, meaning his salary was counting against the Red Bulls cap. Between Wynne's salary and the allocation the Red Bulls received (if I had to guess I would say $60,000) the club has just created more than $120K in cap wiggle room. Whether it needed that room for the Angel signing or not remains to be seen. Arena was quick to point out that the club wasn't done making moves. Something tells me this won't be the last deal he does this season.

Comments

[Aljarov]

I'm not convinced this shores up TFC's defence. IUf Mo wants a 4-4-2 what was wrong with Braz?

[leftcoastmetro]

Nooo.... this is going to come back and bite us in a few years. Think Rico Clark trade, except that was sort of forced on us (salary cap or whatnot) and this isn't.

[Connor]

I am very angry about this move. I do not think we should have gotten rid of a defender that allows us to have one of the deepest and fiercest defensive lineups in the league. I would have rather see Parke or Mendes go than Wynne. Wynne will only mature and become a better player and I think this is awful for US soccer because Mo is not a very good coach and Bruce would have aided in his development

[Ed]

So does this mean the Red Bulls have an extra roster spot now, or did they need to clear one for JP Angel?

[J]

For every great move, there's an equally inept one.

[A Diddy]

Are you kidding me!!!???

We couldn't have traded away Mike Magee or Taylor Graham for a senior slot.

We'd better get something good in return.

[Stan]

I wonder if this isn't partially about "future cap." Wynne is a GenAd player now, but soon he comes onto the cap at a fairly high $150k.

[Connor]

Thinking about it, maybe Bruce is thinking ahead to next years draft and knows he will be able to use the picks we got to get better defenders. If this turns out to be a really bad move if Freeman and Reagan get hurt at the same time and we get destroyed on the right side, then i will be really really pissed and hate Bruce. Now though I just hate him a little. JPA is a great move, getting rid of Marvell might turn out to be the worst move in the history of the Red Bulls (not necessarily the metrostars0

[Metro1026]

I've been a huge Wynne fan, but Freeman really impressed me last weekend. Maybe Bruce knows he can get more out of Freeman than he can out of Wynne?

[Trex]

What!!???!?? I can't believe that. I dunno about that one. I know we needed the slot for JPA but don't give up a defender! We will need all the depth we can get back there.

[Trex]

Why not Graham?

[FrankB]

Wynne was not progressing enough as a defender, he has a horrible touch and constantly gets spun around and put on his wrong foot, freeman is far more solid after one game you can tell that already, it take far more then good speed to be a defender, wynne is limited as long as his touch and soccer IQ stays the same, I 100% agree with the redbulls on this one

[kpugs]

Jesus...RIP Marvell, never forget you pumping us all up after that red card.

[JHJG89]

I'm mad as hell!!!

[Bennie]

I've been skeptical before but Arena has put this team together in a flash, and they look good.

I'll reserve judgement until I see what we're getting. If it includes Toronto's first-round pick, I figure we'll have the first choice next year.

[Lalique]

MoJo is desperate for help on D. Arena isn't wild about Wynne, or he at least feels solid enough with our depth to trade him. We haven't yet heard what MoJo had to give up, but I'm sure it was a TON.... in MLS, when a team is desperate for help, it's a seller's market. Add to that somebody on the senior roster MUST be dropped for JPA. Now Arena could drop a fringe player like Graham that would make the space and MoJo would probably nab right away for nothing, or Arena could hold out for something in return for Wynne (even MoJo wasn't going to trade much if anything for Graham).

I liked what I saw in Freeman, and while I think Wynne has tremendous upside, Arena is a better judge of talent than I am.

[Pat Pug]

Marvell is one of the few players I will cheer on no matter what colors he is wearing when he comes to New Jersey. Freeman will do just fine but Marvell should never be traded. There is so much upside to his youth and speed.

[kpugs]

As opposed to Alecko, who played his way out of DCScum and attitude-ed his way out of any love he might find here in Jersey.

Long live Wynne.

[onionsack]

Wynee IS NOT GEN ADIDAS. He was taken off after last season. His cap figure is low though, around 80K

Wynne had the better potential, Freeman is a better overall player at this point.

Who the hell knows what this move is about, but based on past moves i bet there is a method to the madness.

[Billy Joe]

Ed: "So does this mean the Red Bulls have an extra roster spot now, or did they need to clear one for JP Angel?"

Hmmmm....If only Ives had written something like "The move also frees up a senior roster spot the club needed for newly-acquired Colombian forward Juan Pablo Angel."

RTFA.

[Lalique]

I think Wynne was getting in the neighborhood of $100k.... I'm sure this helped us land JPA and dropping Graham or any other fringe player wouldn't have helped enough Cap-wise.... I deriously doubt Wynne was traded for 3rd round supplimental picks.... I'm sure a #1 pick is in there and based on Toronto so far that could be the top pick next season..... also remember that Arena & Co. did a pretty fine job with this past draft when they had very little to work with - give them the benefit of the doubt that they're stocking up so this team isn't a one-year wonder.

[kpugs]

I hear you Latique. I'm definitely giving them the benefit of the doubt in terms of the team's makeup and future. I trust them.

However, Wynne was one of my personal favorites so a short mourning period for me is in order.

[Trex]

When San Jose Earthquakes come back next year then the pick will be #2 overall best case.

[Hydrid+E85]

Wow, this is shocking!

I'm sure Bruce has his reasons, but wow. I'm speechless.

[bill]

does anyone possibly think that when we were being told that the red bulls could afford another DP on the salary cap, that the plan all along was to trade Wynne? Im thinking we not only needed his roster spot but to dump his salary as well.