United Reacquires Gómez From Rapids

One year after trading Argentine playmaker Christian Gómez to Colorado, D.C. United reacquired the 2006 MLS most valuable player from the Rapids yesterday in a trade that included another veteran midfielder, a draft pick, salary cap and roster considerations, and a goalkeeping prospect.

Gómez, 34, will step into the central midfield role vacated by Marcelo Gallardo, the player who replaced him in Washington last season. Gallardo, the highest-paid player in United's history, left the club last month after one injury-shortened season.

"Christian has special qualities," United General Manager Dave Kasper said. "We know his character, we know the person."

Besides trading Ivan Guerrero, who joined the team last summer and became the starting left-side midfielder, and a 2010 second-round pick to Colorado, United also returned the designated player slot that it had acquired from the Rapids in last year's Gómez trade. A DP slot allows teams to acquire marquee players outside normal payroll restrictions. United had been using it on Gallardo.

The Rapids agreed to give United the rights to goalie Mike Graczyk, 23, who has not played in an MLS game, and an international roster spot. They will also continue to pay as much as half of Gómez's salary. Last year his base contract was $385,000. This season's figures will not be made public for several months.

Gómez is scheduled to rejoin United on Friday at RFK Stadium.

"I am extremely happy to return to D.C. United, as is my family," he said in a prepared statement. "I am coming into the team to contribute and do everything possible to bring the club back to where it belongs -- winning championships."

After arriving from Argentina late in the 2004 season, Gómez guided United to its fourth MLS Cup championship. He also helped the club win the Supporters' Shield, honoring the league's best team in the regular season, in both 2006 and 2007. His 14 goals and 11 assists in '06 earned him the MVP award.

But in 2007, the final year of his contract, Gómez and United reached an impasse, and when talks collapsed at the end of the year, the club signed Gallardo and dealt Gómez to Colorado for the designated player slot and a 2009 first-round draft pick.

Gómez had three goals and six assists for the Rapids, but after Gary Smith replaced Fernando Clavijo as coach late in the season, his playing time plummeted.

Colorado aggressively shopped Gómez around the league this winter, and when Gallardo's departure seemed likely, United engaged in trade talks. The Rapids granted United permission to talk to Gómez this past weekend, and D.C. officials consulted some of their veterans for input, Kasper said.

"I don't think you can ever look behind," Kasper said when asked whether he regretted trading Gómez last year. "We tried to re-sign him, we couldn't reach a deal and we moved on."

Gómez's age was not a concern, Kasper said, citing Columbus's Guillermo Barros Schelotto, an Argentine midfielder who, at age 35, won the MVP award last season.