Timbers trade GK Troy Perkins

The Portland Timbers on Tuesday swapped goalkeepers with the Montreal Impact, sending Troy Perkins to Montreal for veteran Donovan Ricketts.

General manager and interim head coach Gavin Wilkinson said the trade improves the Timbers both on the field and in terms of their salary budget for 2012 and 2013.

A Major League soccer All-Star in both 2009 and 2010 with the Los Angeles Galaxy, Ricketts was the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2010 when he had 11 shutouts and a goals-against average of 0.90.

Perkins has been a mainstay with the Timbers, starting the club’s last 51 league matches. The 31-year-old missed the first five Timbers MLS matches with a knee injury.

Ricketts, 35, has made 89 appearances with the Jamaican national team. Between 2004 and 2008, he played in more than 100 matches for England’s Bradford City.

Rickets, 35, is 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds. He is expected to train in Portland for the first time on Friday.