Tuesday, January 10, 2006

D.C. United signed a pair of starting midfielders to multiyear contract extensions yesterday and, with the start of training camp only three weeks away, the MLS club remains in negotiations with another midfield regular.

Club officials confirmed yesterday that Ben Olsen , who has the longest continuous service with the team, and third-year player Josh Gros signed new deals. As per league policy, terms were not released.

Sources familiar with the negotiations said Olsen's contract will pay him slightly above the $165,000 he earned last season. He had been scheduled to surpass $200,000, which would have made him one of the highest-paid players in MLS, but instead additional years apparentl y were added to the deal.

Olsen, 28, has played for United since 1998 and has become one of the team's most influential players. He is training with the U.S. national team in Carson, Calif., and has an outside chance of making this summer's World Cup squad.

Gros, 23, got a raise from $28,000 last season to around $85,000, a source said. Gros, an outside midfielder, started 29 of 32 matches last year and was third on the team in minutes played.

Meantime, United is hoping to reach a new deal with Ukrainian-born midfielder Dema Kovalenko , who probably will have to accept a major pay cut to remain in the league. Last month, the club declined the option on his 2006 contract, which would have paid him about $170,000 this year.

If Kovalenko does sign, United might end up trading him. (He was the subject of trade talks last year.) Kovalenko, 28, has spent the last three seasons with United, averaging 25 starts.

United will regroup the week of Jan. 30 in Washington before establishing training camp in Bradenton, Fla. The club will also spend part of spring training in Charleston, S.C., and either Spain or Mexico.

-- Steven Goff