Fulham FC, which recently won promotion to the English First Division, has purchased the contract of Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann from Major League Soccer. Hahnemann will leave the Rapids effective immediately to join Fulham. Hahnemann, who had previously trained with English clubs, signed a three-year deal that will reportedly pay him approximately $250,000 per year, plus appearances fees and bonuses. Fulham earned promotion to the First Division last spring under Manager Kevin Keegan, who has left the club to coach the English national team full-time. In three seasons with the Rapids, Hahnemann’s regular-season record is 49-36. He leaves a 10-3 Rapids team that is in first place in the Western Conference and that has given up just 14 goals this season. Hahnemann holds a German passport and can circumvent many of the work-permit restrictions that block foreign players from non-European Union countries. He would have been free of his MLS contract at the end of the current MLS season, and by transferring Hahnemann during the duration of his contract, the league received a unspecified transfer fee. “We anticipated this,” said MLS commissioner Doug Logan. “We knew we wouldn’t be able to retain Marcus’ services, and we had to make a prudent business decision. “The reality is that we have soccer business to run. This is going to happen from time to time, or periodically. We knew this possiblity existed, and we acted.” Backup Ian Feuer, who played 26 games for New England last season and who has previous stints in Belgium and England, takes over the starter’s job. The Rapids are now due a future allocation from Major League Soccer to replace Hahnemann, who was allocated to Colorado on February 10, 1997.