LA Galaxy make impressive move to sign South American talent for 2025 | OneFootball

LA Galaxy doesn't stop in the market. This time, they brought along a signing to flip the balance of power into their favor-Lucas Sanabria. The 21-year-old Uruguayan midfielder signed a five-year contract with the California-based team, which is guaranteed until 2029, after leaving Nacional. With that, the midfield gets a lot stronger ahead of the new season, in an attempt to maintain competitiveness after capturing the latest MLS Cup.

Sanabria is not just another promising youngster; he has already proved his worth. He scored five goals and provided four assists in 46 appearances for Nacional, which caught the attention of scouts and, of course, Marcelo Bielsa. The Uruguay national team coach called him up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, a clear indication that the young midfielder is among the country's most promising talents.

His international experience is another major asset, having played in the Copa Libertadores, the premier club competition in South America. LA Galaxy is betting not just on his technique but also on his intensity and work ethic-qualities that general manager Will Kuntz highly values.

"We're pleased to welcome Lucas to LA Galaxy. He's had an exciting first season with Nacional, playing in various Copa Libertadores matches and with the youth national teams of Uruguay, where he's shown great technical ability and intense competitiveness. We're looking forward to having Lucas join the Galaxy family and be part of the team for these last weeks before the start of the new season," said Kuntz.

Reinforcement in midfield and restructuring

The Sanabria signing isn't an isolated one. Galaxy also signed midfielder Sean Davis from Nashville SC, and Elijah Wynder from USL side Louisville City FC. Those signings among others suggest a very active remodeling of the midfield, after it lost Mark Delgado, traded to LAFC, and Gastón Brugman, who is now a member of Nashville SC.

Thus, the club would seem to be pretty clear with how it rebuilds its roster and remains competitive in 2025. Of course, banking on young players like Sanabria fits precisely into this system, especially because of the opportunity to use the U22 Initiative slots, meaning teams can look at high upside within the current MLS roster parameters.

Season-opener and looking ahead

The new reinforcements and Los Angeles Galaxy will not have to wait long for their first examination. The team starts the 2025 season on February 23 at home against expansion side San Diego FC. The match is expected to be a spectacle as Galaxy looks to start strong against the league's newest team.

But another huge challenge outside of MLS for the club is the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16, way at the beginning of the season. Competing on all fronts at a high level will be a big test for the squad's depth and the immediate impact of players like Sanabria.