Yony González is ready to make his first impression with the LA Galaxy. And now that the paperwork is finished, the Colombian is ready for San Jose.
The agonizing wait for the newest member of the LA Galaxy, Yony González, appears to be over.
Finally.
“He will be ready to play with us,” head coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto told reporters Thursday regarding the Colombian winger’s status for Saturday’s match in San Jose against the Earthquakes (7:30 p.m., Spectrum SportsNet) at Earthquakes Stadium. “Tomorrow we will decide how many minutes he is ready for.”
It has been a long, often frustrating process to bring González to the states — he was acquired on loan from Portuguese side SL Benfica in mid-August — and the 6-foot, 165-pounder understandably was eager to get a chance to play for his new club.
He’s also more than happy to put behind him the agonizing wait for paperwork to be approved for his arrival in this country.
“The process (of getting here) has been difficult, but that’s in the past,” he admitted. “It’s been really nice to be here. I’m happy here and to be developing as a player. It’s a great club, a great organization, the best in MLS.
“I’m just looking forward to making my debut.”
The 26-year-old began his professional career with Colombia’s Envigado Futbol Club in 2013 and played for the likes of Atletico Junior, Brazil’s Fluminense and Corinthians and SL Benfica prior to joining the Galaxy. He also has represented Colombia’s U-23 side internationally.
González said he was looking forward to playing alongside the likes of the Galaxy’s Jonathan dos Santos and Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez and surprisingly has been a fan of Major League Soccer.
“I’ve been following the league for a while,” said González, who also is an avid follower of the National Basketball Association. He was seen wearing a Brooklyn Nets hat and T-shirt in Thursday’s video conference call with reporters. “They have a lot of Colombians and obviously that helps following along.
“And I like to watch the leagues I’m playing in ahead of time.”
His goals are simple, he pointed out, and he’ll do his best to even go 90 minutes on Saturday “if the coach wants me to play 90.”
“I hope to give my best in the remaining games of the season,” he said. “I’m focused on helping the team qualify for the playoffs, which is the first objective, and scoring and, obviously, making my debut.”