The Rapids have started the offseason on the right foot. On Wednesday, the team acquired defenders Lalas Abubakar and Auston Trusty in separate deals with Columbus Crew SC and the Philadelphia Union. Abubakar and Trusty both play center back, right and left, respectively, and are two solid young pieces that should fit together readily into the team's backline. Abubakar has already made his presence known with the club, coming to the team on a loan in May and leading the defense from an average of 2.7 goals allowed per game down to 1.5. Trusty brings immense young talent coupled with impressive experience. In 2018, he was the only player on the Union to play every minute of the regular season, becoming the youngest MLS player to do so in a 34-game regular season.
These moves were not made lightly by Colorado's front office. Rapids sporting director Pádraig Smith talked with MLSsoccer.com about the team's intentions of bringing Abubakar into the fold on a full time basis since before the original loan was solidified. The team has also been watching Trusty for "quite a long time," admiring the athleticism and tremendous upside that the young left-footed defenseman brings to the table.
Read more about what Smith said about the the Rapids recent moves and future plans here, and stay tuned to ColoradoRapids.com and the Rapids Twitter,Instagram and Facebook accounts for the latest offseason news.
