Quakes Add Leitch Through Trade

Reports surfacing out of Bay Area early this morning indicate that the San Jose Earthquakes have agreed to a trade with the New York Red Bulls for defender Chris Leitch. According to the San Jose Mercury News, the Red Bulls will receive an undisclosed sum of allocation money and one of the Earthquake’s eight international spots in the deal. The player had been training with the Red Bulls in Argentina, but is now expected to join up with San Jose during their preseason swing through southern California this week.

Leitch, 29, made 17 regular season appearances for the Red Bulls in 2008, and played every minute in the team’s playoff run to MLS Cup. He was originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2002 MLS SuperDraft by his hometown club, the Columbus Crew, but his stay only lasted one season before he was traded to the New York/New Jersey MetroStars. After three seasons in the Big Apple and 72 appearances, Leitch was waived and made his way back to Columbus. In an odd twist of events, the Crew again said goodbye to the defender after the 2006 season, and he made his way back to the New York franchise in July of 2007, where he stayed until this morning’s trade to the West Coast.

The University of North Carolina product has made a total of 138 regular season appearances in Major League Soccer and played in another nine playoff games in his seven-year career. The acquisition of Leitch will help the Quakes add depth to their defense, which allowed the second-fewest goals in the West Conference last season (38 in 30 games).

* photo courtesy ISI Photos