Portland Timbers acquire Chris Klute from Columbus Crew

After selling left full-back Jorge Villafana to Santos Laguna, the Portland Timbers immediately reinforced their back four, acquiring Chris Klute from the Columbus Crew for general allocation money.

"Chris will be an ideal fit in our system," Timbers head coach Caleb Porter said in a statement. "He is a balanced player on both sides of the ball, very athletic and can stop guys 1-v-1 while also providing width in the attack. With a fresh start and role that suits his strengths, we feel Chris can become one of the most effective left backs in the league."

Crew head coach Gregg Berhalter offered the following in a statement:

"We’d like to thank Chris for his contributions to our backline and our club in 2015. This transaction will provide Chris an opportunity to gain valuable playing time while providing Crew SC with salary cap flexibility for the 2016 campaign."

Klute, 25, has appeared in 71 MLS games since debuting in 2012 with the Colorado Rapids. He played second-fiddle to Waylon Francis this season, though, and joins a Timbers team in need of coverage at left full-back.

Former Orlando City left full-back Corey Ashe is also available as a free agent.