D.C. United made several eye-catching transfer moves this offseason. First came the addition of Lamar Neagle from Seattle. Shortly thereafter, fellow winger Patrick Nyarko arrived from Chicago, followed by veteran central midfielder Marcelo Sarvas from Colorado.
Marcelo, who United acquired from the Rapids in February in exchange for Targeted Allocation Money and a 2018 conditional draft pick, arrived in Washington after three successful years in Los Angeles and a lone season with the Rapids.
The Brazilian has started five of United’s six games in 2016, and emerged as a key component in a talented and experienced lineup filling a hole left by Davy Arnaud’s retirement in March. “He’s an experienced guy who knows this league,” Ben Olsen, United head coach, said after Marcelo’s arrival in preseason. “He’s also got personality, and he’ll drive training. You can see the effect he has on the team.”
Now in his his fifth season in MLS, the crafty, holding midfielder has enjoyed a lengthy career across several continents. He made his professional debut in 2002 with Brazilian powerhouse, Corinthians, and then spent time in Sweden and Poland, including a notable two-year stint at Swedish club Kristianstads FF in which he scored 20 goals in 50 appearances. After a spell in Europe, the Brazilian played a year with Costa Rican championship-winning side LD Alajuelense--where he was named the league’s best foreign player--before moving to LA in 2012.
The Sao Paulo native became a regular fixture in the Galaxy starting lineup and helped the club to MLS Cup wins in 2012 and 2014 while leading the team in minutes in 2013. This year, he’s had the opportunity to reunite with some former teammates from his LA days, defenders Kofi Opare and Sean Franklin. This familiarity, along with his veteran experience and playmaking abilities, have helped him have an immediate positive impact on his new team.
“I feel at home here right now, and am happy," Marcelo said. "I think I’m able now to play my best soccer and contribute to the team."
Already, Marcelo has become one of the Black-and-Red’s most consistent performers, anchoring the midfield and providing stability and vision from the center of the field. A deep-lying midfielder with a high soccer IQ and a tendency to venture forward at the right times, the Brazilian has a keen ability to pick out penetrating passes, while at the same time providing balance and shape with his positioning and ability to circulate the ball--evident in the fact that he leads the team in passes per game (53.8) and touches per game (77.4). He’s also made the most tackles of any United player this season (26), a statistic that reflects his gritty defensive presence. In addition, he boasts a wicked shot from distance--in 2013, his volley for LA against the San Jose Earthquakes was the Western Conference club’s goal of the year.
As he works to further develop his partnership with converted winger Nick DeLeon in the heart of United’s new-look midfield, count on Marcelo to continue to make a difference on both sides of the ball and be a game-changing player for the Black-and-Red in the months to come.
