Orlando City was the talk of the league this week following a blockbuster trade with Minnesota United that sent longtime midfield linchpin Kevin Molino north, along with recently drafted goalkeeper Patrick McLain, in exchange for $650,000 in allocation money ($450k in General, $200k in Targeted). Now that the initial impact of losing a fan favorite and the only remaining original Lion from the 2011 roster has had time to settle in, it’s time to break down why Orlando City actually came out on top of the deal with Minnesota.
While Molino was an integral part of Orlando’s attack since the club’s inception and turned in a very solid season in 2016 (11 goals, 8 assists), $650,000 in allocation money is an incredible amount for a player who has turned in just one season of significance in the American top flight.