THE CANADIAN PRESS
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Toronto FC acquired forward Alan Gordon from Chivas USA on Friday in exchange for midfielder Nick LaBrocca.
The 29-year-old has 16 goals and 12 assists in 99 MLS appearances, all with the Los Angeles Galaxy.
In other news, Canadian international defender Adrian Cann ended his contract walkout and returned to camp. And Toronto signed Canadian international midfielder Gianluca Zavarise.
Gordon was drafted 53rd overall in 2004 by the Galaxy and stayed with Los Angeles until August 2010 when he was traded to Chivas USA.
"Alan is a good, strong striker and can be a leader on the pitch." Toronto coach Aron Winter said in a release.
LaBrocca, 26, joined Toronto from Colorado in March 2010 in a deal that sent defender Marvel Wynne to the Rapids. LaBrocca started 24 of the 28 matches he played for Toronto, finishing with one goal and six assists.
Cann, named Toronto FC’s most valuable player last season, left the team’s pre-season training camp earlier this month. The team said the 30-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., had turned down the club’s offer of a new contract and returned to Toronto.
Cann, who made 26 appearances last season in his first year with TFC, had asked to renegotiate his deal.
Cann made US$65,342 last season, 17th best on the team according to figures provided by the players’ union.
Cann’s agent, Sanford Carabin, said negotiations would continue.
"It was sort of a battle of two principled people — the new coach and the player. And the only way he thought he would get his message across is to walk away, because up until then for five months there was not so much as (them) batting an eyelid. But at the end of the day he still has to be professional and he still has to go back and do his job."
The team said there is no change in his contract, which is in the second year of a four-year deal. Head coach Aron Winter has said Cann will be welcomed back under those terms and with a full apology.
The team said Cann is due in camp Friday. Toronto is currently in South Carolina for the Carolina Challenge Cup.
Cann, chosen 16th overall in the 2004 draft by Colorado, has also played for the Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps. He spent two years playing in Europe with Danish team Esberg FB and has earned nine caps for Canada.
Zavarise, a 24-year-old native of Burnaby, B.C., joined the team on trial in Turkey last month.
"Gianluca has done well during his time with the team in pre-season," Winter said in a statement. "He is a young player with skill and has a bright future. We feel he will fit well into the system that we want to play."
Zavarise has played in Italy with Calcio Montebelluna and then AC Belluno 1905, in Germany with VfL Bochum II in Germany and in Greece with Iraklis FC.
He earned his first international cap for Canada on May 29 in a 1-1 draw with Venezuela.
Toronto FC’s pre-season comes to a close Saturday with a game against D.C. United.