:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25482453/gyi0060707470.0.jpg)
Ives Galarcep, of Soccer By Ives fame, is reporting that D.C. United has sold Canadian center back Dejan Jakovic to an unnamed Japanese team for a small fee. While the allocation money that it generates will be minimal at best, the move does save United almost $300,000 in salary cap charges and makes the reasoning behind Wednesday's selection of Nana Attakora more clear. Ethan White would step in to be the presumptive starter alongside Bobby Boswell on March 8, pending other moves by the team.
This move also seems to signal, even more clearly than before, that D.C. United is learning towards taking a center back in the draft rather than taking Patrick Mullins. Christian Dean, who we profiled on the site yesterday, seems like the logical choice, but there are a few other choices as well. Most people are projecting that Dean could play left back for a year or two, which is United's position of greatest need currently, before moving over to the center to replace Bobby Boswell. It makes a lot of sense from a front office intent on a massive overhaul of the team.
