Expansion franchise Cincinnati sign Garza, send Kamara to Rapids

FC Cincinnati made a busy start to life in MLS on Tuesday as they completed the Expansion Draft and traded for United States international Greg Garza.

The club will debut in MLS in 2019 and made several moves as they continue to build their squad, selecting Darren Mattocks from DC United, Vancouver Whitecaps’ Kei Kamara and former FC Dallas man Roland Lamah, as well as Eric Alexander and Hassan Ndam.

Mattocks, Alexander and Ndam have all been added to the Cincinnati squad, but the club must negotiate a new MLS contract with Lamah, while Kamara has been traded to Colorado Rapids.

Kamara has scored 112 MLS goals – the sixth-most in the competition’s history – and signs a two-year contract with the Rapids, who sent an international roster spot the other way.

One of the best goalscorers in @MLS history is coming to Colorado.

Welcome @keikamara! pic.twitter.com/wJPitEJW6G

— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) December 11, 2018

Perhaps Cincinnati’s most notable early move came outside the draft, however, as 2017 All-Star Garza was signed from Atlanta United just days after helping the team to MLS Cup glory. 

Atlanta received $450,000 in allocation money and Garza joins a squad that already features prolific former Portland Timbers forward Fanendo Adi.