Donovan Ricketts traded to Portland Timbers

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Montreal trade GK Ricketts to Portland for Perkins

Two of the leakiest teams in MLS now have new goalkeepers.

The Portland Timbers swapped goalkeepers with the Montreal Impact on Tuesday, sending Troy Perkins to the expansion club in exchange for Donovan Ricketts in one of the most high-profile goalkeeper trades in league history.

The move for the Timbers is seemingly motivated by on-field considerations and cap management.

“Troy has been an important player for us, but we as a coaching staff saw this as an opportunity to improve the position, while optimizing our budget numbers in 2012 and 2013," Timbers GM and interim manager Gavin Wilkinson said in a club statement.

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Portland's Wilkinson on 'keeper swap: "It's an upgrade"

A mainstay starter, a veteran leader and a fan favorite.

If the surprising trade of Portland Timbers goalkeeper Troy Perkins for Montreal’s Donovan Ricketts (above) said anything it’s this: nobody is safe as the club rebuilds in the midst of a disappointing season.

“It’s an upgrade, in all honesty,” interim head coach and general manager Gavin Wilkinson said after the team’s training session Tuesday. “Troy is a fantastic person and a great goalkeeper. He was a tremendous acquisition for the club two years ago. But when you sit down and you have staff meetings and you give everyone an active voice and the unanimous decision is this is what’s right for the club, you do what’s right for the club.”

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