Answering the biggest questions about the Adu trade

	Freddy Adu will have the chance to succeed at Real Salt Lake, where he'll play his preferred position of attacking midfielder. AP
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So what are we to make of the surprising trade of  Freddy Adu from D.C. United to Real Salt Lake? Let's try and answer some of the most pertinent questions:

Is this a good move?

Like a lot of U.S. soccer followers, I want to see how good Adu really is and whether he has what it takes to justify the hype that has followed him for the past five years. That just wasn't possible at D.C. United, where Adu played mostly on the right wing last season instead of at his preferred central attacking midfield spot.

Adu will almost certainly get to play the position he wants at Real Salt Lake under coach John Ellinger, who has a long-standing relationship with Adu from their days with the Under-17 national team. Unlike D.C. coach Peter Nowak, Ellinger will hand Adu the keys to the car, giving the 17-year-old the freedom to show what he's got. For a long time, soccer observers have talked about Adu's potential, but by the time he enters his fourth professional season next spring, it will be time to start seeing some results.

Keep in mind, Adu is a fierce competitor, and he wants this opportunity badly. That's why he initiated the process to make this trade happen in the first place. Adu feels like he has Ellinger's trust, which allows him to take the sorts of chances on the field that he rarely felt comfortable doing under Nowak. Now, however, there will be no more excuses if he doesn't produce.

When is Adu going to make the leap from MLS to Europe?

It might sound strange, but Adu's performance in MLS will have very little to do with any interest European suitors might show in him once he turns 18 next June 2. The key instead will be how Adu plays for the U.S. in the Under-20 World Cup, which takes place in Canada from next June 30 to July 22. (The Yanks still have to qualify at a regional tournament in January.)

The U.S. team will basically be built around Adu, who will be playing in his third U-20 World Cup, and if he has a very good tournament against the world's top young players you can be certain Euro clubs will notice.

Even if that happens, however, I'm not sure that MLS would want to sell Adu during the August transfer window, which will be in the middle of the MLS season. (Ask Clint Dempsey about the league's reluctance to do this.) Salt Lake officials have already gone on the record saying they think Adu will be with the team through the end of 2007 and probably even longer. (MLS can exercise options on Adu's contract through the end of '09.)

If I had to guess at this point, I think Adu will be in Salt Lake for all of '07 and probably make a move to Europe in January '08 -- but only if there's enough interest from European teams to make MLS think a sale is worthwhile. You can be sure the league will put a sizable price-tag on its most recognizable young talent.

Which team got the better end of this trade?

I think this is a win-win for both D.C. United and RSL, but if I had to pick, I think United is getting the better end of it -- and assuming considerably less risk.

First off, the specifics: Real Salt Lake acquires Adu and the rights to D.C. goalkeeper Nick Rimando, while D.C. United receives from RSL a major allocation, the rights to goalkeeper Jay Nolly and future considerations, including a share of any future replacement allocation money attributed to Adu should he be transferred.

What D.C. United gets: The main benefit for D.C. United is the major allocation -- MLS-ese for the chance to purchase a significant player (usually from overseas) and add him to your team. United's Nowak and technical director Dave Kasper have recently been on a scouting trip to work their pipeline in South America, and I fully expect they'll use this allocation to purchase one of the South American players they have their eyes on.