(Editorial) – It’s been a busy two days for the LA Galaxy front office. First center back Omar Gonzalez transfers to C.F. Pachuca. Now midfielder Juninho is on his way to Club Tijuana. These are two starters and core pieces to the team that are now gone. Now the rumor mill has multiple credible sources reporting the club is in talks with 35-year-old has been left back Ashley Cole.
What is going on with this LA Galaxy off season? Is Bruce Arena trying to blow this team up? It’s not all doom-and-gloom, but there are some concerns. Let’s break it down.
Omar Gonzalez’s transfer:
I went into full detail in a previous article if you’d like the whole story. In short, this was a move for financial flexibility. The club was going to need to use their entire Target Allocation Money (TAM) allotment for 2016 to keep Gonzalez this year. In selling him, all of their TAM for this year and (probably) next year are now freed up. They also got some major cap relief that could come in handy this off season or later in the year. Hopefully, the Galaxy also got a some General Allocation Money (GAM) in the transfer fee. Some have reported otherwise, which would be unfortunate if true.
This is a major loss on the field. Gonzalez did make some inexcusable mistakes for a national team level center back. His DP contract as a center back was probably a poor use of funds. Still, he was very active defensively and excellent in the air. The Galaxy don’t really have a replacement for that right now. Starting A.J. DeLaGarza or Dave Romney would be a back up plan.
The Galaxy should pursue another center back option. There are only two DP center backs in MLS: Liam Ridgewell (Portland) and Matt Besler (Kansas City). The last two Defender of the Year award winners both made under $400,000 in 2015. There are plenty of excellent center backs in MLS that make under $300,000 a year. With cap space, some extra money, and an excellent scouting network, the Galaxy should be able to find and sign MLS’s next Lauren Ciman or Kendall Waston. Bruce Arena is paid the big bucks to solve these puzzles.
Juninho’s Transfer:
This one came as a bit of a shocker. Yes, there were reports that Juninho wanted a raise. If anything, one would think selling Gonzalez would have made keeping Juninho much easier. Other reports came out that Juninho didn’t like playing second fiddle to David Beckham when he was here and Juninho felt he had a similarly diminished role with Steven Gerrard’s arrival.
Juninho and Gerrard didn’t work out in 2015. The plan seemed to be just put Gerrard in Marcelo Sarvas’s position and have him play the exact same role. Gerrard isn’t the same player as Sarvas. He and Juninho didn’t have the chemistry of two Brazilians who’ve played together for several years. However, one would think a full off season would help Gerrard get used to the league and his teammates. With some tinkering by Arena to modify the roles in central midfield, Juninho-Gerrard could have dominated MLS in the ways Juninho-Sarvas did.
It’s clear now that Juninho didn’t think that was going to work and wanted out. He might have wanted a more prominent role and more money. The Galaxy were forced to make a tough decision. I’d hope Tijuana gave up a good chunk of cash considering LA might not have gotten a lot of Gonzalez.
This now leaves a huge hole in central midfield. At worst, the Galaxy have Baggio Husidic who can fill in. Still, much like Gonzalez’s departure, I’d prefer the Galaxy go out and sign a clear replacement for Juninho. I have no idea who that is, but Paulo Nagamura, Ned Grabavoy, Mike Magee, and Jeff Larentowics are still available free agents. Just throwing out some names.
The club could also use TAM to get an international midfielder who makes less than $1 million per year. If Gerrard is a lock as an attack-minded midfielder, I’d say go get a quality holding midfielder. A Kyle Beckerman or Dax McCarty level player would be perfect.
The two losses all but guarantee the LA Galaxy will not be winning CONCACAF Champions League this year. There’s not enough continuity to compete with Liga MX teams who have more depth and are in midseason form.
Ashley Cole Rumors And Other Signings:
When I first saw the reports about Cole, I thought it was a joke. Clearly there’s something to it when Ives Galarcep and Adam Serrano are reporting it.
This would be a disaster signing for the LA Galaxy. Cole is 35-years-old and washed up by European standards. AS Roma terminated his contract a year early after he played only 11 games this past season. He hasn’t found a new club in the first half of the European football season. He hasn’t played for England since 2014. Fans who hated the Gerrard signing might actually like it compared to a Cole TAM signing. Plus, he doesn’t seem to hold MLS in high regard.
This rumor is even further confusing when you consider the Galaxy don’t have a need at full back. Robbie Rogers is a great left back in MLS. They have Dave Romney as a back up. On the right, they have DeLaGarza, Dan Gargan, and academy product Oscar Sorto if things go bad.
Left back is not a need. Cole would be a waste of funds. It might remove their capacity to sign replacements for Gonzalez and Juninho.
President Chris Klein did say that the Galaxy will be aggressive in pursuing and signing new players. I hope he’s talking about more than Ashley Cole. A veteran center back is needed. Another central midfielder, preferably a holding mid, would be nice. Alan Gordon is still out there as a free agent.
A splash is needed at multiple positions. Ashley Cole wouldn’t be a splash. He’d be a sink hole.
