DaMarcus Beasley returns to MLS; Houston trades to land USA veteran

DaMarcus Beasley is back in MLS as a member of the Houston Dynamo.  The Dynamo traded Warren Creavalle to Toronto FC for allocation money and the top spot in
DaMarcus Beasley returns to MLS; Houston trades to land USA veteran
DaMarcus Beasley returns to MLS; Houston trades to land USA veteran /

DaMarcus Beasley is back in MLS as a member of the Houston Dynamo. 

The Dynamo traded Warren Creavalle to Toronto FC for allocation money and the top spot in the MLS Allocation Order, which it used to select Beasley, the four-time World Cup veteran and left back/left winger, and sign him as a Designated Player on Wednesday. Beasley, as a U.S. national team player, had to be distributed through the allocation order per league policy.

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Unlike Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey, the 32-year-old Beasley's undisclosed price tag did not cross the unspecified, league-stipulated threshold that would have made him exempt from the allocation order. Houston, which was 14th in the order prior to the trade, goes to the end of the line after the deal, while Toronto now sits at 13th after the trade and Houston using its place in the order. The Columbus Crew now maintain the first position.

After beginning his career as a member of the Chicago Fire in 2000, Beasley departed in 2004, embarking on a world tour that included stops at PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands), Manchester City (England), Rangers (Scotland), Hannover 96 (Germany) and most recently Puebla (Mexico). His resurgence on the international level made him a mainstay at left back for Jurgen Klinsmann, and he's the only player in U.S. history to play in four World Cups. 

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The Dynamo could certainly benefit from the personnel boost, though it's unclear where Beasley fits into Dom Kinnear's lineup. With Brad Davis a staple at left wing (though he can be a central attacking player) and Corey Ashe at left back, it would appear that Beasley's skill set does not fill a glaring need area for the club.

Nevertheless, he'll add quality and a veteran presence to a team mired in an eight-game winless streak that has relegated it to ninth place in the 10-team MLS Eastern Conference. Despite the struggles, Houston is just four points out of a playoff berth in the congested East.

“DaMarcus has had a great career, as we saw at the World Cup,” Kinnear said in a club statement. “To bring in a player of his quality is a big plus for the team.”

With Beasley's return, 11 of the 23 players on the USA's World Cup roster are now in MLS, with two of them, Sporting Kansas City's Matt Besler and Graham Zusi, signing long-term DP deals on Saturday. That number could grow, with Jermaine Jones strongly connected to a move to MLS as well.


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