LA Galaxy Insider Adam Serrano has the final word from Bruce Arena. Sounds like the Galaxy came very close — but just couldn’t make a deal happen:
"We came close…There were just forces in the league fighting really hard to make that not happen." – Bruce Arena on #LAGalaxy transfers
— Adam Serrano (@LAGalaxyInsider) August 7, 2014
Bruce Arena would not comment on the player or the Kljestan reports but stressed #LAGalaxy came close to adding someone.
— Adam Serrano (@LAGalaxyInsider) August 7, 2014
LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena has made it official: talks with Sacha Kljestan fell apart and the deal is off.
Sacha Kljestan deal is dead, Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena confirms. Wouldn't elaborate.
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) August 7, 2014
The press conference scheduled for this afternoon is a chance to hear from Landon Donovan, who today announced his retirement at the end of 2014.
Contrary to some reports, I have not signed for LA Galaxy and I am still an Anderlecht player. Thanks for the continued support!
— Sacha Kljestan (@SachaKljestan) August 7, 2014
At 4:31AM Pacific Time, Sacha Kljestan tweeted the above statement to his twitter followers. With multiple moving parts to this deal — including the Columbus Crew’s failure to sign the big DP they were looking for — we can no longer go with our source on this information.
Really wanted Mix in Columbus. We gave it everything, so as disappointed as we are, we didn't leave anything on the table. #Crew96
— Anthony Precourt (@APrecourt) August 7, 2014
Per Taylor Twellman, @APrecourt and #crew96 offered Mix Diskerud more than double his current salary.
— Adam Jardy (@AdamJardy) August 7, 2014
We checked and double-checked our source. Rumors have been flying in the past 24 hours, and the latest is that Landon Donovan may be retiring. We heard immediately after posting that the deal may have fallen through last minute. Whether that’s the case or not, it doesn’t look like today’s press conference is about Sacha Kljestan or any player signing.
We’ll continue to update throughout the day.
Today a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to Corner of the Galaxy that midfielder Sacha Kljestan is set to join the LA Galaxy. Rumors peg the move as a loan from Belgian side RSC Anderlecht. The confirmation follows a report from SBI last week that such a deal was in the works.
There were clear signs that LA was making moves as early as last Tuesday, when the Galaxy traded homegrown defender Kofi Opare to DC United in exchange for their spot at third in the allocation order. LA head coach Bruce Arena has been peppered with questions ever since — and he’s stepped up his trademark fence-sitting to the level of an artform:
Bruce on transfers: "We'll see if that becomes a reality in the next few days. It may or may not happen." #LAGalaxy
— Andrew Schmidt (@Scatterfelt) August 2, 2014
Big questions remain. Kljestan joins a crowded midfield, and one that’s been especially effective as of late. And if he comes on loan, there’s no clear way LA can keep him — at least not without losing one of their three designated players. Or maybe Bruce knows something we don’t. Maybe those rumblings about MLS adding a fourth DP slot are more than just wishful thinking.
We have reached out to Galaxy PR for comment.