LA Galaxy Acquires Diego Fagundez from Austin FC in Exchange for Memo Rodríguez

 LA Galaxy Acquires Diego Fagundez from Austin FC in Exchange for Memo Rodríguez

LA Galaxy Acquires Diego Fagundez from Austin FC (Image-Getty)

The LA Galaxy have made a move in the MLS trade market to enhance their attacking prowess, as they officially announced on Tuesday the signing of midfielder Diego Fagundez from Austin FC. In exchange, Austin FC received midfielder Memo Rodríguez, and both clubs exchanged General Allocation Money (GAM) as part of the deal.

Fagundez, a 28-year-old Uruguay native, is the central figure in the trade. He brings a wealth of experience, having scored 68 goals and provided 67 assists in 347 career regular-season appearances over 13 MLS seasons. He spent most of his professional career with the New England Revolution, where he emerged as a homegrown player in 2010. Afterward, he joined Austin FC as a free agent for their inaugural 2021 expansion season. Fagundez is one of only 11 players in MLS history to achieve 65 goals and 65 assists in regular-season play. Now, he joins LA Galaxy's attack, which features talented players like midfielder Riqui Puig, wingers Tyler Boyd and Douglas Costa, and striker Dejan Joveljic.

Greg Vanney, the head coach, and sporting director of LA Galaxy expressed his delight in signing Fagundez, praising his talent, versatility, and work ethic on the attacking front. Vanney believes that Fagundez will seamlessly fit into the team's style of play.

On the other side of the trade, Austin FC expressed gratitude to Fagundez for his contributions both on and off the field during the team's first two and a half seasons. The club acknowledged him as an essential part of their history and wished him the best in his future endeavors.

In exchange for Fagundez, Austin FC received midfielder Memo Rodríguez, a 27-year-old who spent the majority of his professional career with Texan rival Houston Dynamo FC before joining LA Galaxy last winter as a free agent. Rodríguez brings versatility to Austin's squad, as he can play both out wide and centrally. He becomes Austin FC's second trade acquisition of the Secondary Transfer Window, following the addition of center back Matt Hedges from Toronto FC.

Rodolfo Borrell, the sporting director of Austin FC, expressed pleasure in having Memo return to his home state of Texas and join the team. Borrell believes that Rodríguez's talent and knowledge of the league will be valuable for Austin FC, and they extend a warm welcome to him and his family in the community.

While the summer transfer window closed on August 2, teams can still sign out-of-contract free agents until the MLS Roster Freeze Date on September 15. This is particularly important for LA Galaxy, as they face limitations in signing international players due to transfer sanctions.