One day after the Crew traded former first-round pick Ryan Finley to Chivas USA for a draft pick, coach Gregg Berhalter said the move could signal more on the way.

After today's training session at the Crew's facility in Obetz, Berhalter said the move was primarily made so the Crew could part ways with a player not in its immediate future plans and clear cap space. In addition, Berhalter re-affirmed that the Crew is looking at making at least one addition during the summer transfer window.

So does that mean this move was made with an eye on summer reinforcements? Berhalter said there could possibly be an even quicker timeline.

One day after the Crew traded former first-round pick Ryan Finley to Chivas USA for a draft pick, coach Gregg Berhalter said the move could signal more on the way.

After today�s training session at the Crew�s facility in Obetz, Berhalter said the move was primarily made so the Crew could part ways with a player not in its immediate future plans and clear cap space. In addition, Berhalter re-affirmed that the Crew is looking at making at least one addition during the summer transfer window.

So does that mean this move was made with an eye on summer reinforcements? Berhalter said there could possibly be an even quicker timeline.

�We might be losing three guys to the World Cup for five or six games, so there�s a good chance you might want to bolster some of those (spots),� he said. �You never know how quick things happen.�

The three players Berhalter referred to are defenders Michael Parkhurst and Giancarlo Gonzalez and forward Jairo Arrieta. Parkhurst figures to be called into United States national team camp after Saturday�s game against Vancouver, while Gonzalez and Arrieta will remain with the Crew through next weekend�s road game against Portland.

Tuesday, Berhalter told The Dispatch that the Crew could still make a move before the MLS primary transfer window closes May 12.

�We�ll see,� he said. �There�s a couple things that may happen. Who knows?�

However, the most likely �splash� signing for the Crew concerns a position of permanent need this season: forward. Another source close to the team has told The Dispatch that the Crew is making progress toward signing a forward of significance, although it would likely not happen until the summer.

Berhalter confirmed that forward is a position of need for the Crew.

Former Crew midfielder Chris Birchall is in town for the week, and Crew brand ambassador Frankie Hejduk tweeted a photo of the two former teammates this afternoon. Birchall�s presence has created speculation that he could be working out a deal to return to the Crew, but doing so would make little sense given the current roster needs. Birchall wouldn�t fill any of the spots that will be missing players for World Cup duty, and he tweeted earlier this week that he was in town visiting for a week. According to a report from The (Stoke) Sentinel in England, Birchall is currently out of contract but hoping to re-sign with Port Vale.

As for the Finley trade, Berhalter said the Crew was not seeking a deal for the forward but that �it�s something that turned up and it benefits us and him so it was worth it.� Berhalter said he�s not allowed to discuss why the draft pick the Crew receives in return is a �conditional� second-round pick but that at minimum it will be a second-rounder.

According to figures released by the MLS Players� Union, Finley�s 2014 guaranteed compensation is $78,650. When asked if that figure was an accurate representation of how much the Crew will save under the salary cap, Berhalter said, �Yeah, you don�t know (the full picture) exactly.�

ajardy@dispatch.com

@AdamJardy