LAFC sells Mateusz Bogusz to Cruz Azul in $10M deal redefining MLS influence | OneFootball

LAFC sells Mateusz Bogusz to Cruz Azul in $10M deal redefining MLS influence | OneFootball

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·26. Januar 2025

LAFC sells Mateusz Bogusz to Cruz Azul in $10M deal redefining MLS influence

Artikelbild:LAFC sells Mateusz Bogusz to Cruz Azul in $10M deal redefining MLS influence

When Los Angeles FC announced the transfer of Mateusz Bogusz to Cruz Azul, many MLS fans were surprised. Not just because of the significant figure-over $10 million-but also because of how fast the 23-year-old Polish player became one of the league's most prominent names. The transfer is the latest sign of how MLS is cementing its status among the global football elite, developing talent into commodities, as well as proving the power of its franchises on foreign soil.

From prospect to MLS star

Mateusz Bogusz arrived at LAFC in March 2023 from Leeds United, then a member of the English Premier League, with the tag of a bright young thing. Two years later, he leaves MLS with an impressive legacy: In 90 matches, he scored 24 goals while playing as a midfielder and forward. His peak came in 2024 when he scored 20 goals in 48 games, leading LAFC through a historic season that also includes the winning of the US Open Cup, reaching the Leagues Cup final, and finishing top of the Western Conference in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.


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That form earned him a debut with Poland's senior national team, confirming the talent LAFC saw when they inked him.

Was she selling him a strategy or a necessity?

“Decisions like this are never easy,” said John Thorrington, co-president and general manager of LAFC. For him, it was a move that had been considered quite carefully: both for the player's future and the planning of the club. "Mati joined us as a young player with incredible potential, and it's been a pleasure to see his growth. This transfer provides us with significant resources to continue building a roster capable of winning trophies."

Indeed, LAFC has proved to be more worried about consistent results than having a single star lift the team. Bogusz leaves in the same manner as Omar Campos, a left-back that also transferred to Cruz Azul this month. These moves are what the club envisions: develop top-level players and use them as chips to be traded in, which would consolidate their financial and competitive statuses.

MLS on the global transfer radar

The transfer of Bogusz is not so much about LAFC or Cruz Azul; it's a reflection of how MLS positions itself within the global transfer market. Once seen as a "retirement league" for European stars, MLS has since become a developing and exporting hub.

At 23 years old, Bogusz is the clear example. He came through young, developed in a competitive environment, and now he's off to one of Liga MX's biggest clubs, further cementing MLS' impact in markets historically dominated by European and South American leagues.

The price tag of the transfer underlines how MLS teams are growing in financial heft. Transactions above $10 million show the league is attracting talent, while it also develops significant revenues on sales, enabling clubs to reinvest in stronger rosters.

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