Revs ship wantaway midfielder Nguyen to LAFC for allocation money

LAFC will welcome a new face to its newly christened stadium.

The expansion club acquired veteran midfielder Lee Nguyen from the New England Revolution late Tuesday evening, with the Revs confirming they will receive $700,000 in allocation money for the 31-year-old.

That amount could reach $950,000, based on undisclosed conditions of the trade, while the Eastern Conference side could also come away with LAFC's first-round pick in either the 2019 or 2020 MLS SuperDraft.

LAFC, meanwhile, gets an immediate replacement for playmaker Marco Urena, who will miss at least four weeks due to impending facial surgery.

For Nguyen, the change of scenery was overdue.

He had been open about his desire to leave New England, requesting a trade in the offseason before subsequently holding out of training camp for two weeks. Nguyen didn't make a single appearance for Brad Friedel's side this season prior to Tuesday's deal.

Despite the acrimonious end to his time with the club, he leaves as one of the Revs' most productive players. In six seasons, the American midfielder racked up 51 goals and 49 assists in 191 regular-season games, and ranks second all-time in team history in both categories.

"On behalf of the club, I'd like to thank Lee for his years of service," Revs general manager Michael Burns said.

"Every decision is made in the best interest of the club, and we feel this move helps strengthen our team now and puts us in the best position to succeed in years to come."