Official: 2021 Rumor and Roster Moves Thread

Replace it? That’s my vote. We need fresh faces, new energy.

 

What we know/a little bit of speculation about our current players :

- Pavon loan ends next month. A few Galaxy followers (Guesman from COG, Dan Kennedy) seem to think he's gone, but DTK said this week on the COG show "I know for a fact that Pavon would like to stay".
- Bingham and Kitchen contracts are very likely up at the end of the year. For the record, it should be the case for Jorgen Skjelvik too. Yes, technically he's still our player (currently on loan to a Danish club).
- According to Transfermarkt, it's also the case for Feltscher and Insua. It wouldn't be surprising for Rolf, as he has signed one-year contracts only since he came here.
- Giancarlo Gonzalez has a contract for 2021. According to an interview from him last year, it's also the case for Joe Corona.
- Yony Gonzalez loan ends next month.
- Same for Carlos Harvey, with rumors from Panama that we have an option to buy.
- Kljestan said last night he didn't think about retiring, and he hopes to be back next season.

 

Now my personal opinion on who should stay/who should be gone :

1) Bingham : 3 years of mediocrity, we have to improve there. Hard to think he's with the club next year.

2) Kitchen : it's time to be honest with Perry : he's not been terrible this season. OK at best (and sometimes very good like during our winning streak), yes, but it's his best season in a Galaxy uniform. That's not enough though, and for his huge salary we could improve our roster with someone else.

3) Insua : an improvement over Skjelvik, a player with stamina, but he was never going to fix our defense. If his contract really ends, I'm in to not renew it.

4) Steres : same conclusion as I do every year : borderline starter, but we will have a better defense when he'll be definitely consider as (decent) depth.

8) Dos Santos : I've seen very few complains from Galaxy supporters given how disappointed his season has been. If there is a way to free up his DP spot and keep him as TAM, do it.

10) Pavon : my MVP (Araujo over him, really?), he's our path to MLS 3.0. I hope we keep him.

11) Yony : I may be hard on him given the very few minutes he had in a very bad team, but I didn't see anything special. Don't break the bank for a player who'll probably be as effective as Alvarez.

12) Lopez : now our fourth string keeper, and still the most talented we have in the pipeline to me (not counting Klinsmann, I didn't see enough of him).

14) Chicharito : he's not going anywhere, we have no choice but to keep him.

15) Corona : not bad but two disappointing seasons given the status he had when he came here (US international, starter in good Liga MX teams). OK as depth.

16) Kljestan : one of the very few players in this team who could raise his hand and say "I didn't have a disappointing season". I'm torn on Sacha, I'm not against keeping him but he should not play that much (not his fault obviously).

17) Lletget : our third best player after Pavon and Araujo. With better players around him he could be a solid 10.

18) Vom Steeg : I don't have a clear opinion on him but with the logjam at keeper, maybe he won't stay?

19) Traore : talented player who never had a clear chance, maybe the club doesn't count on him? I would keep him as depth.

20) DePuy : keep as depth. He's probably between the great defender post-MLS is back tournament and the terrible one we've seen the last few weeks.

21) Gonzalez : if there is a way to clear his huge salary and his international tag, do it! Alajuelense we count on you.

22) Araujo : still has to improve but the only starter in defense I would welcome back next year.

24) Acosta : missed the whole season, probably gone.

25) Feltscher : I've never been high on him and he had a bad season, but 1) he's cheap 2) he doesn't occupy an international spot 3) he knows the club well 4) in the past he's been good when the team is good (like many average players). I won't cry if he goes but we have many holes to fill, RB depth is not a priority to me.

26) Alvarez : the progression is very slow, but I don't give up.

27) Cuello : with no more GBS, no reason for him to stay.

28) Koreniuk : one of the few players who should have got more minutes this season.

29) Zubak : you know my opinion on him, he will be average at the very best for MLS. I'm sure the club will keep him for a few years with the tag "look, a player who represents our Academy, still young and improving".

31) Wild : same comment as Koreniuk. I think he's gone.

33) Klinsmann : well, our next starter? I'm not sold the improvement over Bingham is big.

56) Perez : still young, another year with G2 is needed, but a very good talent.

60) Dunbar : see Koreniuk and Wild.

67) Harvey : see Koreniuk, Wild and Dunbar? I'm not sure he's that good and promising for a transfer fee and an internatiol spot on a bench player TBH, but I don't have a clear opinion.

 

Sigh.

Here we are again.

We need so much and I've never been less confident in the people in charge of making those decisions.

 

Now I know how Chivas USA fans felt. Such a disappointment. First thing first we need a direction which begins with the coaching staff. I sure hope it's Dom, but something in my gut thinks its going to be Jurgen Klinsmann.

 

Tell your gut it's wrong. For my sanity, tell it.

 

I’m pretty close to you on all your assessments. We have sooo many needs. Our defense sucks, our offense sucks and our midfield is just ok. So add 6 or 7 really good starters and we will be fine.

 

Im with you. SteveUSSF’s post depressed me too much to respond.

 

#MLS 🇺🇸

LA Galaxy está interesado en Eduardo López, mediocampista mexicano del CD Guadalajara. pic.twitter.com/hCCli2bBYo

— MX Draft (@MXDraft) November 9, 2020

We could be interested in 26 years old Eduardo Lopez, an attacking midfielder from Chivas. He's on his way out there and there are a few Liga MX clubs who look interested as well. He seems to have disciplinary problems and Mexican fans on Twitter are already mocking us about how bad his signing could be.

 

It looks like Cuello just signed with a new agent (which has a decent number of prominent clients). He could be prepping for just that.

We are excited to welcome @EmilCuello of the @LAGalaxy to @YMUFootball! Bright future ahead! pic.twitter.com/4NlQ5LO3il

— YMU Football ⚽️ (@YMUFootball) November 11, 2020

 

Ozil to Gs speculation has begun: https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2020/1...-to-premier-league-ozil-to-mls/?partner=Yahoo

 

For what its worth, I'd try to keep Yony Gonzalez. His few games on the wing made it seem like he could do alright there. Plus he has pace which we lack. Him and Araujo could make for a solid right hand side.

 

I don't see this at all. To the best of my knowledge Ozil is 32 and primarily an attacking mid. Per the referenced Goal link, he apparently doesn't like to work hard, in terms of applying high pressure. This seems to describe Efrain to a tee. I think that the Galaxy would be better off giving Efrain those minutes and finding a better use for that money.

 

https://www.latimes.com/sports/socc...ein-speak?_amp=true&__twitter_impression=true

According to Baxter, Corona and Kljestan have options for 2021, but are not guaranteed.

 

Can we get Romney back? He has looked really good for Nashville.

 

IIRC, Romney seemed to have left with a bad taste in his mouth.

 

I haven't seen Ozil play the last few years, so not really sure if he'd be a good pick up. It would be nice to have a playmaker centrally who can make Pavon more dangerous. However, I'd rather the Gs pick up a destroyer D-mid.

 

Wouldn't surprise me. He was by far and away our best defender, but GBS kept playing him out of position or preferred Gonzalez out of position to Romney.

 

Yeah. I think even before GBS came onboard, Dave felt like he never got a chance to make the LB spot his as the Gs kept going with other players like Skittles. I think he might have said something to this effect when he left for Nashville, but I might just be imagining it too...lol