Did the Los Angeles Galaxy just brilliantly exploit an opportunity that developed fortuitously out of London?
Carlo Cudicini surely became surplus goods at English Premier League club Tottenham with the signing of French No. 1 Hugo Lloris. Thus, Brad Friedel slid to No. 2 on the depth chart with Cudicini somewhere down below.
So have the Galaxy now solved their goalkeeping issues and added a solid, veteran performer? If the reports are accurate, the Galaxy’s goalkeeping situation just took a big step north; the champs no longer need to rely on increasingly undependable Josh Saunders.
The question to ask here is whether Cudicini will be earmarked as Designated Player level? If so, the Galaxy is now full up. That would, of course, rob us of all the juicy speculation over whom might fill that David Beckham slot, because the Galaxy would be at the maximum DP allotment of three. (Well, until Landon Donovan decides on his future, at any rate.)
Then again, perhaps the Italian did not require a DP salary. He is 39, after all, and certainly wasn’t in Spurs’ plans, which means he might have been collected on the relative cheap. Cudicini played just once for current manager Andre Villas-Boas, and that was in a League Cup match last September.
