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Buddle scored 42 goals in 87 regular season games during his first stint with the Galaxy from 2007-2010
The LA Galaxy continued their busy Wednesday by trading for former UCLA Bruins star Kyle Nakazawa, acquiring the midfielder along with a second round pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft from the Philadelphia Union in exchange for an international roster spot in 2012.
Wednesday was a day of soccer stars returning to Los Angeles, as the Galaxy also signed Edson Buddle earlier in the day. Nakazawa, who turns 24 in March, was drafted by Philadelphia in the third round in 2010 draft. In 2011, Nakazawa set career highs by appearing in 22 games, starting 14, and scoring one goal and tallying three assists.
While at UCLA, Nakazawa scored 20 goals and had 26 assists in 75 games over four years in Westwood.
By giving up one international spot to Philadelphia in the trade, the Galaxy will now be able to have seven international players on their roster in 2012, after which the club will return one international spot to D.C. United as part of a previous trade while receiving spots back from the Union and the Portland Timbers, who also acquired an international spot from the club in a prior trade.
To discuss the LA Galaxy and all their offseason moves and news, head on over to LAG Confidential.
The Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday announced the signing of forward Edson Buddle on a free transfer, bringing back one of the most prolific goal scorers in franchise history. Buddle left the Galaxy in January 2011 and played a year with FC Ingolstadt of the German 2.
"I am thrilled to be able to return to MLS and a club that has meant so much to me in my career," Buddle said. "When I left for Germany last winter, I said that I hoped to be able to one day return to the Galaxy and help lead the club to an MLS Cup championship. That day is today and I look forward to the challenges that now lie ahead."
Buddle, a member of the U.S. National Team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, scored 42 goals in 87 regular season games with the Galaxy in four seasons from 2007-2010. His best year was in 2010, when he finished second in the MLS with 17 goals as the Galaxy won their first Supporters Shield in eight seasons.
"We’re really excited to have Edson re-joining the LA Galaxy,” General Manager and Head Coach Bruce Arena said. “He has been an outstanding player for us in the past and we look forward to him continuing that success for many years to come."
Buddle, who has also played for the Columbus Crew and New York Red Bulls, has 90 goals in 231 career games in his 10-year career, making him the eighth leading scorer in MLS history.
To discuss Buddle and the Galaxy, head on over to LAG Confidential.
Early this morning, it was confirmed by a source to Soccer By Ives that David Beckham would be announcing his return to the LA Galaxy at the press conference tomorrow. Yahoo Sports claims that press conference is likely to be held in a downtown AEG property, either Staples or at LA Live. The Galaxy held their MLS Cup celebration party at Staples, and had their third kit unveiling at LA Live.
Yahoo Sports is also reporting that allowing Beckham time off to be an ambassador for the London Olympics, as well as playing in them, was a key component in Beckham returning. Paris St. Germain, Beckham's most vocal suitor, would have been in offseason during the Olympics. PSG could also offer Beckham more money.
This could mean that PSG was not so much a place Beckham hoped to land, but rather a tool to get leverage on the Galaxy where a 36 year old man would not usually have leverage. Keep in mind, this is a man who claimed he had to leave the Cup part early to take his kids to school. Putting family first, especially when the kids are school age and a baby in the house, usually doesn't mean moving across a continent and an ocean.
The full story won't come out until tomorrow's press conference, if the conference is indeed happening tomorrow. Beckham does have an online chat planned via Google+ for that morning. Contract details will likely trickle out over the next month.
Today MLS and the LA Galaxy unveiled the 2012 regular season schedule, which will see the Galaxy play 34 games - 15 of which will be broadcast nationally in English. The Galaxy will be part of First Kick weekend, opening up the season at home on March 10th against Real Salt Lake. This year MLS has returned to an unbalanced schedule, which will see the Galaxy play each Western Conference opponent three times, and each Eastern Conference opponent just once.
Out of their 24 Western Conference games, there will be 12 at home and 12 on the road. They will face FC Dallas, the Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, and the Vancouver Whitecaps twice at home, once on the road; and they will face Chivas USA, the Colorado Rapids, San Jose Earthquakes, and Seattle Sounders FC once at home, twice on the road.
When it comes to the 10 Eastern Conference Games, they will face DC United, the New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, and Toronto FC at home. The Galaxy will face the Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, Houston Dynamo, Montreal Impact, and Sporting Kansas City. The Galaxy will have two separate trips to the Rust Belt, but will not venture as far as the original thirteen colonies.
ESPN is set to air 8 Galaxy matches this year, airing two of the three legs of the SuperClasico against Chivas USA (May 19 and August 12), as well as games against Sporting Kansas City (April 7), New York Red Bulls (May 5), San Jose Earthquakes (June 30), Chicago Fire (July 8) and two games against the rival Seattle Sounders FC (August 5 and October 28).
The newly launched NBC Sports Network will carry 7 Galaxy matches first on March 31 when the club hosts the New England Revolution to close out their season-opening three-game homestand. The network will also broadcast two of the club’s three meetings with FC Dallas (July 28 and August 26), as well as games against the Houston Dynamo (May 26), Portland Timbers (July 14), Columbus Crew (August 15) and Colorado Rapids (September 30).
For an in-depth look at the LA Galaxy schedule, check out LAG Confidential.
With his five year contract with the LA Galaxy completed, David Beckham is free to negotiate with whomever he pleases. His loudest suitor has been Paris St.-Germain, who in the past few days have told the French press their deal with Beckham is 99% done. However, as the movie The Damned United illustrated, that means they don't have a signature.
The deal they're so sure he would take was reportedly 800,000 Euros a month for 18 months. That's quite a lot to pay for a 36 year old midfielder, even if he is stil one the best free kick takers in the game. Le Parisien came down a bit from that figure when their Wednesday paper finally went to print; 670,000 Euros per month.
Still, Beckham's handlers were adamant that no deal had been reached. "There has been no agreement reached with any club. Any talk of a deal is premature. David is yet to make a decision."
The hardest part in analyzing these rumors is figuring out motivation. Is Beckham's camp simply wary of being seen coming to business terms before the transfer window officially opens? Is this simply a negotiating tactic, or is Beckham still seriously considering the LA Galaxy offer.
It came out Wednesday that new terms have been tabled in negotiations with the LA Galaxy and David Beckham. Most reports have been of a one year renewal, with the possibility of Beckham getting a management position at AEG after he retires. He already has the option to purchase an MLS team from his previous contract.
For parties on both sides of the pond, the negotiations are as much about image as they are football talent. David Beckham raised the global stature of the Galaxy over his five years, and sold a lot of shirts. PSG already has mockups of a Beckham shirt floating around.
Only Beckham knows where he'll end up. For the sake of the soccer fans who supported him in LA, hopefully his decision is announced soon.
The Los Angeles Galaxy will be losing one of their top stars this offseason. But he'll be back sooner than you think!
Landon Donovan has always toyed with the idea of returning to play in Europe, and it appears he'll get this chance after signing up with his old side. Donovan returns to Everton, which will allow him to play in all fixtures from January 4th to February 25th.
Here's what Donovan had to say in his press release.
"The opportunity to return to Everton and play for such a well-respected club and a manager that I hold in such high regard was something that was simply too good to pass up. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Everton in 2010 and I’m hopeful that we can experience similar success this time around," Donovan said. "I want to thank David Moyes and Bruce Arena, as well as executives from both clubs and Major League Soccer for allowing me this unique and special opportunity."
Donovan made a big impression with Everton in his first stint there in 2010 (which was also on a loan). He was named club Player of the Month in January and scored two goals in 13 appearances.
The loan will be very short for Donovan. He'll play for Everton for the next two months, then return to the States and get ready for training camp with the Galaxy.
To discuss Donovan and the Galaxy, head on over to LAG Confidential. To talk about Donovan heading back to Everton, check out Royal Blue Mersey.
The LA Galaxy saw LD Alajuelense twice this past calendar year in CONCACAF Champions League. Manager Bruce Arena liked what he saw in midfielder Marcelo Sarvas, enough to sign him to an MLS contract. The 30 year old Brazilian was acquired on a free transfer, and has his P-1 visa approved earlier today.
Marvelo Sarvas came out of the Corinthians youth system in Brazil. He went to Europe in 2004 and bounced around the Swedish league. He signed with Alajuelense on January 17, 2011, making 21 appearances in thirty games during the year. This includes all six of Alajuelense's Champions League appearances.
In his time in Costa Rica, Sarvas helped Alajuelense win the 2011 Verano title and a berth in the 2011 Invierno championship. He scored three goals, including two in the recent Invierno. Costa Rica, like Mexico, crowns two champions a year, holding two separate competitions.
Sarvas is pegged as a holding midfielder, much like Juninho, which is a spot the Galaxy need more support at. Michael Stephens, the recent draft pick from UCLA, and Chris Birchall play more of a defensive midfielder role, while Mike Magee is a wing runner. When Juninho wasn't available due to a red card in the MLS playoffs, his absence showed in that transition from midfield play to attacking third.
For more on the LA Galaxy, this signing, and why the Galaxy should never go back to Teal, check out www.lagconfidential.com.
The 2011 MLS Champions LA Galaxy returned home yesterday, after a two week tour of the Asia Pacific region and Australia. The MLS Champs were undefeated on their trip, defeated an Indonesian Selection 01-, the Philippines National Team 1-6, and the Melbourne Victory in penalty kicks 2-2 (3-4). David Beckham played more than 80 minutes in what could have been his final game with the LA Galaxy.
In large part to Beckham's presence, the Galaxy were well received in all three countries. The Galaxy visited a children's hospital in Melbourne, and an orphanage in Manila. While they were in Jakarta, LA Galaxy manager Bruce Arena received a phone call from President Barack Obama congratulating him on his MLS Cup win.
Now that the 2011 season is officially over, it's time to start looking ahead to next year's roster. Gregg Berhalter retired, Adam Cristman in renegotiating, and Juninho's loan status needs to be straightened out. There's also the status of David Beckham to fret over. However, we now know whomever is on the roster will be participating in a preseason tournament in Tuscon.
The former Spring Training home of the Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks will be used this preseason to host four MLS teams (Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, New York Red Bulls, and New England Revolution) as they get their rosters ready for next season. The tournament is called the Desert Diamond Cup, and will conclude four days before the Galaxy have to take on Toronto FC on the road in the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League.
LA Galaxy midfielder Michael Stephens was one of 28 players named to Caleb Porter's U-23 National Team Squad. The U-23 camp is in preparation for next year's olympic squad in London. After three years at UCLA, Michael Stephens was drafted by the LA Galaxy in the first round of the 2010 SuperDraft. Stephens has made 50 appearances since his debut in May of 2010. He has one goal in that time. The complete roster is as follows:
GOALKEEPERS (4): David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Zac MacMath (Philadelphia Union)
DEFENDERS (8): Gale Agbossoumonde (Eintracht Frankfurt), Royal-Dominique Fennell (Stuttgarter Kickers), Sebastien Ibeagha (Duke), Kofi Sarkodie (Houston Dynamo), Zarek Valentin (Montreal Impact), Jorge Villafana (Chivas USA), Andrew Wenger (Duke), Sheanon Williams (Philadelphia Union)
MIDFIELDERS (10): Freddy Adu (Philadelphia Union), Bryan Arguez (Montreal Impact), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Danny Cruz (Houston Dynamo), Mikkel Diskerud (Stabæk), Dilly Duka (Columbus Crew), Jared Jeffrey (Mainz), Sebastian Lletget (West Ham United), Amobi Okugo (Philadelphia Union), Michael Stephens (LA Galaxy)
FORWARDS (6): Will Bruin (Houston Dynamo), Teal Bunbury (Sporting KC), Jann George (Nürnberg), Joe Gyau (Hoffenheim), Jack McInerney (Philadelphia Union), Andrew Wooten (Kaiserslautern)
The LA Galaxy and MLS announced today that the LA soccer club has made three players available for the Re-Entry Draft to be held Monday, Dec. 5. The club will not be picking up the contract options on forward Adam Cristman, midfielder Jovan Kirovski, and defenders Dasan Robinson and Frankie Hejduk. Jovan Kirovski has elected not to go through the Re-Entry draft process, so only Cristman, Robinson, and Hejduk will be available in Monday's Re-Entry draft.
The Re-Entry draft is done via a conference call, with the draft order the same as the waiver order. Teams will have the option to either take a player or pass when their turn comes. Each stage continues until all clubs have passed. The LA Galaxy will select 18th. The Montreal Impact, having had the opportunity to take players in the expansion draft, pick last.
The Galaxy selected Juan Pablo Angel and Luke Sassano in last year's Re-Entry draft, then traded Sassano to get Frankie Hejduk. LA traded a first round Supplemental Draft pack to get Adam Cristman last offseason. Dasan Robinson was acquired in September for Kyle Davies, who the Galaxy were able to get off wavers earlier in the year. Kirovski is the only player with significant time on the Galaxy, picked up in 2009 as well as a stint 2004-05.
This is MLS' second year holding a Re-Entry draft. It's the closest thing Major League soccer has to free agency. Major League Baseball, in it's early years of free agency, held a similar draft. It gives players a chance to renegotiate contracts, but not the chance to make teams bid against each other.
The Los Angeles Galaxy are coming off the most successful season in franchise history in nearly a decade, having captured the MLS Cup for the third time. The Galaxy have little time to rest though, as they have a big decision this summer concerning how they plan to replace David Beckham. Beckham has not made it clear if he's deciding to come back, which means Los Angeles might need a big-time name to replace one of the most notable stars in the game.
Luckily for the Galaxy, another high-profile name is in the mix. David Baxter of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who played in two World Cups for his native Ivory Coast, is apparently on the Galaxy's radar as a possible replacement for David Beckham, whose five-year contract with the Major League Soccer club runs out Dec. 31.
Drogba, 33, has turned down a one-year extension to remain with Chelsea in the English Premier League and his agent, Thierno Seydi, told Goal.com that "L.A. Galaxy are a possibility, among many others."
Michael Roth, a spokesman for AEG, the entertainment company that owns the Galaxy, said Tuesday that his group "certainly will not comment on rumors."
Drogba is considered one of the best players in Chelsea history, and is also perhaps the greatest footballer ever from the Ivory Coast. At 33, he's clearly on the downside, which fits the profile of Beckham when he decided to take off from Europe to Los Angeles. In many ways, it makes logistical sense for Drogba (like Beckham and like Henry) to capitalize on his success in a soccer league where he'd still be a dominant player.
For more news on the Galaxy, hit up LAG Confidential.
Fresh off their MLS Cup win, the Los Angeles Galaxy are off on a tour of the Asian Pacific Rim. The first match is in the Indonesian capital city of Jakarta, in the national stadium of Indonesia against the Indonesian National selection. Three days later, the Galaxy will face the Philippine National Team in Malina at the Philippine National Stadium. Finally, the Galaxy head to Australia where they will take on the Melbourne Victory.
The Galaxy's travel roster includes the full squad, minus those currently with season ending injuries. That travel roster includes David Beckham, Landon Donovan, and Robbie Keane, which has resulted in massive crowds as the team has traveled around Jakarta. Chad Barrett, Leonardo, and Sean Alvarado stayed behind with injuries, as well as Donovan Ricketts who was traded to the Montreal Impact for allocation money earlier today.
The broadcast schedule for the tour is as follows:
Nov. 30 Indonesian National Selection Gelora Bung Karno Jakarta, Indonesia 4 a.m. (FOX Soccer)
Dec. 3 Philippines National Team Rizal Memorial Manila, Philippines 3:30 a.m. (FOX Soccer)
Dec. 6 Melbourne Victory Etihad Stadium Melbourne, Australia 12:30 a.m. (FOX Soccer)
The Los Angeles Galaxy announced today that they have traded goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts to the Montreal Impact for allocation money. Ricketts, who has 87 caps with the Jamaican National Team, played the majority of his career at Bradford City A.F.C. who are currently in League Two in England. The LA Galaxy signed Ricketts in December of 2008 for the 2009 season. Ricketts and the Galaxy went to the MLS Cup final that year, but Ricketts was injured and didn't play in the Cup. The Galaxy lost that match in penalties.
Donovan Ricketts was the Galaxy's #1 goalkeeper through the 2010 season and the first part of 2011. In 2010 he was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. In 2011, Ricketts began the year as the Galaxy's top goalkeeper, but was injured in a June game against the San Jose Earthquakes.
That game became famous as backup goalkeeper Josh Saunders was red carded and midfielder Mike Magee had to play in goal for the entire second half. Magee was able to keep a clean sheet, building his legend. Ricketts fractured his arm and missed several months.
When he came back, Josh Saunders had been playing so well he remained the starter. On a road trip to New York, Ricketts started and looked lost most of the game, letting in two goals. Saunders remained the starter through MLS Cup.
The Galaxy protected both goalkeepers ahead of MLS's expansion draft last Wednesday, and many speculated this was to get more value from Ricketts. MLS doesn't disclose the amount of allocation money each team has, but it can be used in signing foreign players. Brian Perk will likely now be the Galaxy's backup goalkeeper.
Tom Payne Leaves LA Galaxy, Chris McGowan Named New COO
After nine years with the LA Galaxy, director of business operations Tom Payne on Friday decided to leave the organization. Payne will be replaced by Chris McGowan, who will assume duties as COO, taking charge of all day-to-day business operations of the club.
McGowan, 38, will hold dual roles with the Galaxy and Los Angeles Kings, for whom he has been COO for the last five years. Both the Galaxy and Kings are owned by AEG.
"With our recent MLS Cup Championship, the return of David Beckham and our outstanding roster heading into this season, the Galaxy will continue their rapid growth in this marketplace under Chris’ leadership," said AEG CEO Tim Leiweke. "Also with the addition of our new partnership with Time Warner Cable Sports, we now have a tremendous opportunity to significantly increase our reach and support in both the English and Spanish-speaking population, and with Chris’ knowledge combined with AEG’s resources, we expect that growth to be unprecedented in our history with the Galaxy."
Payne will temporarily remain with the Galaxy to assist in the transition. "After nine great years here at The Home Depot Center, I have made the decision to leave the Galaxy organization. I have enjoyed my time with the club and have fond memories of all the great things that we have accomplished, including winning the MLS Cup last year in front of our home fans," Payne said Friday in a statement.
To discuss the LA Galaxy and all their offseason moves and news, head on over to LAG Confidential.
Feb 17 4:10p by Eric Stephen