Report: RSL adding MLS vets Chad Barrett, David Horst, says DNews

Real Salt Lake’s roster is nearing completion, and to that effect, they’re close to adding two MLS veterans whose names you’ll likely know from Western Conference rivalries.

Chad Barrett and David Horst. The acquisitions were reported today by Deseret News mainstay James Edward, Real Salt Lake beat-writer and prep sports editor at the media outlet.

Horst, of course — and that wasn’t meant as a Mr. Ed reference, but we’ll take what we can get these days — started his MLS career at Real Salt Lake, where he played only rarely during his three seasons at the club. He eventually found his way to a regular starting position at Houston Dynamo, with a stop-off at Portland Timbers along the way.

Horst, 31, will slot in at center back, creating a strong rotation option with a corps including Aaron Maund, Justen Glad, and Chris Schuler.

Barrett, also 31, has featured at six clubs in his MLS career, which started in 2005. At San Jose Earthquakes, his most recent club, he started only three matches but played in 20. In fact, since a strong 2011 season at LA Galaxy, Barrett has never started more than half the games in a season, but he has consistently played at 18 matches.

Neither move is yet official, with an announcement from the club anticipated early next week. Both players would join as free agents.

UPDATE: Kyle McCarthy, national soccer writer, has a good point — only two free agents can join a club in a given year. It’s likely, then, that one of the two wouldn’t join as a free agent.

Disclosure: Matt Montgomery is a software engineer at Deseret Digital Media, a company owned by Deseret Management Corporation. Deseret News is also owned by the same organization.