HARRISON, NJ (July 13, 2012) – The New York Red Bulls announced today that it has acquired forward and 2010 MLS Best XI selection Sébastien Le Toux in exchange for midfielder Dane Richards and allocation money. Le Toux will be available for selection for New York’s nationally televised match against Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday, July 15 at Red Bull Arena at 4:00 PM ET (TV: ESPN, ESPN Deportes; Radio: WLIB 1190 AM). Tickets are available by calling 1.877.RBSOCCER or logging onto www.newyorkredbulls.com.
“Sebastien is one of the premier attacking players in the League and someone who we have admired for a long time. He will be able to play a number of different positions and will be an important piece for us as we challenge for the MLS Cup this year,” said Red Bulls General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler. “We also want to wish Dane the best of luck in Vancouver. He has been a great player for our club and it was a difficult decision to trade someone of his quality.”
Le Toux, 28, was in the midst of his first season with Vancouver, where he tallied four goals and one assist in 19 appearances. The Frenchman joined the Whitecaps on Jan. 31, 2012 from the Philadelphia Union in exchange for allocation money. Le Toux had a pair of standout seasons with the Union, recording 25 goals and 20 assists in 62 regular season starts. He led Philadelphia in both goals and assists in 2010 and 2011 and helped his club reach the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time ever last year. Le Toux, who was named to the 2010 MLS All-Star Team and was a MLS Best XI selection following a 14-goal season, also won the 2010 and 2011 MLS Fair Play Award and scored once in the Union’s 2011 postseason run.
Le Toux’s MLS career began in 2009 with Seattle Sounders FC, when he became the club’s first-ever signing on May 8, 2008. He featured in 28 games, starting 15, and notched one goal and three assists. He was also with Seattle from 2008-09 when it played in the United Soccer Leagues First Division (USL-1). Le Toux earned a spot on the USL-1 Second Team after racking up 14 goals, which was good for second in the League. The 2008 campaign followed up his first year in the United States, when he won the USL-1 Most Valuable Player of the Year, tallying 10 goals, and helping the Sounders win the Commissioner’s Cup (regular season winner) and USL-1 Championship (playoffs winner).
Before coming to North America, Le Toux was with FC Lorient-Bretagne Sud in France’s Ligue 2 from 2004-06. The club earned promotion to Ligue 1 in 2006. Le Toux was a member of the Stade Rennais FC youth program.
Richards was drafted out of Clemson University by New York in the second round (19th overall) in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft. He made his 147th regular season appearance for the club last Sunday at New England, which put him in second place all-time in franchise history. Richards is also second in games started for the club (132) and minutes played (11,699), trailing only Petke (158, 14,060). He is also third in assists (26). This year, Richards had one goal and two assists in 17 appearances.
Sébastien Le Toux
Position: Forward
Pronunciation: seh-BASS-teehn leh-TOO
Height: 6-0
Weight: 155 pounds
Day of Birth: Jan. 10, 1984 in Mont-Saint-Aigain, France
Hometown: Mont-Saint-Aigain, France
Previous Club: Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS)
How Acquired: Acquired on July 13, 2012 from Vancouver Whitecaps FC in exchange for midfielder Dane Richards and allocation money.
