Marcelo Sarvas hopes positive run with LA Galaxy follows him to D.C. United

D.C. United's latest midfield acquisition Marcelo Sarvas has a bit of a unique connection with his new team.

D.C. United's head coach Ben Olsen was once a player under now-LA Galaxy boss Bruce Arena in 1998. Sarvas was a key member of Arena's MLS Cup-winning Galaxy team.

Sarvas served with the LA Galaxy the past three seasons, but five degrees of separation aside, the versatile midfielder hopes that Olsen and Arena have a good impression of him as a player.

"I'm sure they talk a lot, and Bruce gave him the best picture of me," Sarvas told reporters, according to MLSsoccer.com. "It was three beautiful years in L.A., and I'm sure Ben brought me here because of that time. So I just want to be the same as I was in L.A.

"It looks like the team that we built in L.A., of course besides the stars that LA had; people with experience in this league that know the league very well. Players that have been through a lot of things in this league."

Sarvas was traded to D.C. United out of the Colorado Rapids, having played just one season in burgundy. Sarvas admitted the trade was "a little bit of a surprise," but Olsen is hoping the Brazilian can quickly settle in to help shore up D.C.'s midfield.

"He's going to help us on the offensive end out of our buildup," Olsen said. "We have to do a better job all around the field with our passing. We believe in our group from a defensive standpoint ... but now we want to evolve and get a little bit better in that area."