MLS has allocated three more players headlined by Bolivian star Marco Etcheverry, who, as expected, will play for D.C. United. Former Indiana midfielder Brian Maisonneuve goes to the Columbus Crew while Zimbabwean striker Vitalis “Digital” Takawira will don a Kansas City Wiz uniform.
Etcheverry, nicknamed “El Diablo” for his colorful style and aggressive play, comes to Washington from Colo Colo of the Chilean First Division. The 25-year-old forward with the long flowing hair scored three times in the 1994 World Cup for Bolivia.
Maisonneuve rejoins Columbus head coach Timo Liekoski, who coached Maisonneuve during his stint as U.S. U-23 coach. Maisonneuve, a two-time all-America at Indiana, led the Hoosiers to the NCAA final in his senior year of 1994, when he also won the Hermann Trophy.
The 22-year-old, who has spent the last several months rehabilitating his knee after a serious injury, will miss part of the MLS season if he earns a berth on the U.S. team that will take part in the Summer Olympics.
Takawira, a member of Zimbabwe’s national team, scored 24 goals this past season for his Dynamos FC club and hit the first hat trick in his national team’s history as part of a 4-1 African Nations Cup win over Cameroon in 1995.
MLS is currently negotiating with Mexican club Leon for U.S. defender Marcelo Balboa, who will play for the Colorado Rapids if the league is successful in signing him.
Colombian Leonel Alvarez is rumored to be going to Dallas, while Ecuadoran international Eduardo Hurtado is headed for Los Angeles.
The New York/New Jersey MetroStars will announce Feb. 5 that they have acquired Italian midfielder Roberto Donadoni from AC Milan.
The team order for the Feb. 6-7 league draft will also be announced Feb. 5.