Report: Is Luis Silva a target for Chivas?

It’s not every day that another SB Nation blog breaks a rumor about a Real Salt Lake player, but here we are, in the year 2018, with Sounder at Heart dropping one in our lap today about Luis Silva and Chivas.

It would be an interesting move for the RSL forward, but more, it would be an interesting move for Real Salt Lake. Whether there’s meat on this rumor’s bones or not, let’s talk about it. At the very least, it can be a useful thought experiment.

Would RSL move Luis Silva?

Perhaps a little surprisingly, Silva has found himself serving a largely bench role with the club in the last few weeks. It’s surprising for two reasons: One, he’s behind Corey Baird. Two, he’s not behind Alfredo Ortuño. Both of those things were unexpected at the start of the year, but it’s one of those things that we’ve come to expect from RSL coach Mike Petke.

With that in mind, would RSL find Silva as an option to move? I actually think so, but not because Baird has been starting. Rather, I suspect they’ll be signing another center forward (oh, please, please, please) to take the starting spot that Ortuño capitulated on. That would leave Luis Silva without a clear role on the team, and if a team is interested, it could be appealing for all parties. Now, there are a lot of ‘ifs’ here, but that’s the business we’re in today.

Should RSL move Luis Silva?

This is a harder question to answer. Silva is, I think, a useful player to have around. He can play anywhere from the midfield forward, and that gives him a uniqueness that few on the team can claim — save maybe Corey Baird, in a weird sort of coincidence.

For a team that has struggled mightily with injuries, Silva has been a reliable figure. He may not have the most raw talent, but he can be a very useful player to have around.

That said, if moving him gives the team flexibility for the senior roster, it might be what we need. If we get a transfer fee for him, it’s probably worth it — that flexibility would do us some good, too.

Jesus Duenas: A reminder that sometimes, teams aim for summer moves

If you remember back to January — I didn’t, but I stumbled on it — there were rumors placing Mexican midfielder Jesus Duenas as an RSL target for the summer — after the World Cup.

Of course, in February, those rumors dissipated and we signed Damir Kreilach — so there’s probably nothing to it. Please don’t take this as me saying there is something to it. But it does bring to mind that sometimes, deals can end up being postponed until more favorable windows for parent teams.