RSL uses TAM to buy down Beckerman contract in signing Juan Manuel Martinez

Real Salt Lake announced today that they've inked former Boca Juniors' Juan Manuel "Burrito" Martinez to a contract, and in doing so, they bought down the salary cap hit of captain Kyle Beckerman with Targeted Allocation Money.

By buying down the cap hit of Beckerman, the team reduced him to a level below a Designated Player. Given Martinez is a midseason signing, one would imagine that the amount of targeted allocation needed was prorated. As always, details in that regard are non-existent.

In a club-issued press release, Real Salt Lake technical director Craig Waibel praised Martinez's pedigree and experience.

"Juan is a player with great quality that can add a new dynamic to our attack while fitting in with our style of keeping possession with the ball on the ground," Waibel said in the press release. "A player with his pedigree and background will be a good addition to our locker room and our play on the field."

Martinez arriving seals a deal that has been in progress for weeks and, at times, looked both very close to happening then immediately very far away from happening.

While we'll miss talking about Beckerman as one of RSL's designated players, Martinez could have an immediate impact on the club, which is certainly needed. But it's not just in tactics and attacking play, which could take time to bring up to speed — just the emotional boost of bringing in a player might help drift away the dark cloud hanging over the team.