Angry about the seemingly endless silence the winter transfer window and offseason has brought to your LA Galaxy? Then Merry Christmas about two weeks late. Multiple rumors across multiple teams and sources have recently surfaced and the LA Galaxy seem to be targeting their weakest positions on the field heading into 2017 — the midfield.
And to make it really interesting, the LA Galaxy are apparently under a mandate to curb costs and develop more talent from within the club. So it’s very unclear whether or not the team is on the hunt for multiple players, or just one. As most of these players should require a Designated Player contract.
Reminder: the LA Galaxy have two designated player spots open. This should be fun.
JONOTHAN DOS SANTOS (VILLARREAL, LA LIGA)
We’re not going to go back into this rumor. We’ve already written about Jonathan dos Santos and what that could mean (both good and bad) for the LA Galaxy, right HERE. But this seems to be a genuine rumor and one the LA Galaxy will have to stretch to complete.
Central midifeld is a position of need for the LA Galaxy. With Steven Gerrard’s exit, the departure of Jeff Larentowicz, and the untimely move to Galatasaray for Nigel De Jong, the Galaxy shouldn’t just rely on an aging Jermaine Jones. J. Dos Santos should be considered an upgrade for that position and could push Sebastian Lletget back out to the wing if the LA Galaxy are lucky enough to sign both.
ROMAIN ALESSANDRINI (OLYMPIQUE MARSEILLE, LIGUE 1)
Courtesy of ESPN FC and Jeffrey Carlisle the LA Galaxy have been linked to a move with a French League winger. Romain Alessandrini has had some injury issues this season and no longer seems to be the first choice for new coach Rudi Garcia at Olympique Marseille. But at 27 years old, he’s still much younger than most of the players the Galaxy targeted prior to this season and the wing is another midfield position of need in a non-existent midfield.
Especially for a talented and speedy player who would be able to bring himself immediately into a wide position. With Emmanuel Boateng the only wide player to be locked into some serious minutes, the LA Galaxy might want to have a speedy player opposite Ema for 2017.
But at 27 years old, Alessandrini is still much younger than most of the players the Galaxy targeted prior to this season. And a true winger is another position of need especially for a talented and speedy player who would be able to bring himself immediately into a position the LA have struggled to fill for years. We’ve joked around and called the winger position Bruce Arena’s “white whale.” But Head Coach Curt Onalfo and General Manager Pete Vagenas may be able to land one on their first cast into the sea.
Realistically, the LA Galaxy only have Emmanuel Boateng and Sebastian Lletget currently available to play midfield. Baggio Husidic is expected to fill some role there and Raul Mendiola will also get some time, but none of these guys, including Lletget, couldn’t get an upgrade at their position.
Romain Alessandrini could be that winger that really starts to make this team legitimate title contenders.
GREGOR BREINBURG (NEC, DUTCH EREDIVISIE)
When it rains it pours. And now the Dutch Eredivisie are involved. Particularly when it comes to NEC Captian and Midfielder, Gregor Breinburg. Breinburg has a contract through the middle of the 2018 season, and if Google Translate is working correctly, it says his team won’t allow him to depart until they have his replacement.
Breinburg is on the Aruban National team (5 appearances) and has been playing at NEC since 2014 where he has 77 appearances and no goals.
This rumor is certainly not confirmed, but with the European Transfer Window open, expect more rumors to surface and more players to be linked to a very weak LA Galaxy midfield.