United have acquired a third round pick in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft from Atlanta United FC in exchange for veteran defender Bobby Boswell.
Over two stints with United, Boswell made 198 league appearances (regular season and playoffs) for the club, scoring 10 goals and recording eight assists. The 34-year-old originally signed a developmental contract in 2005 and quickly established himself as a starter in his rookie season. In 2006, Boswell helped the team lift the MLS Supporters’ Shield and also won MLS Defender of the Year, an All-Star selection and a spot in the league’s Best XI for his performance in the Black-and-Red backline. The following year, the center back lifted the Supporters’ Shield for a second consecutive time with the club.
After three seasons and 85 appearances with United, Boswell was traded to the Houston Dynamo on Dec. 12, 2007. The Florida native spent six seasons with the Dynamo, made 197 appearances and started in two MLS Cup Finals (2011, 2012). Following the conclusion of the 2013 season, the Black-and-Red selected Boswell in Stage One of the 2013 Re-Entry Draft on December 12, 2013. In his second stint with the club, Boswell played in 113 matches, scored six goals and helped the team win the 2014 Eastern Conference and qualify for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in each of the last three seasons.
“Bobby has played an integral role in the history of this club,” Dave Kasper, United general manager and VP of soccer operations, said. “He’s one of the fiercest competitors this league has ever seen and his dedication for winning has had a profound and consistent effect on our locker room for the seven seasons he has played for D.C. United. He’s a true professional and we wish him luck in his next chapter in Atlanta.”
Boswell is currently third for most regular season starts in league history (360) and is one of only three currently active players to make 350 career MLS starts. The defender has been a consistent pillar in the history of D.C. United; he scored the club’s 500th goal as a rookie on August 10, 2005, and more recently scored the Black-and-Red’s 1,000th regular season goal on September 16, 2016, a 92nd-minute equalizer against Chicago.
Transaction: United acquire third round pick in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft from Atlanta United FC in exchange for veteran defender Bobby Boswell.
