TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
UPDATE, (Aug. 4, 2:30 pm ET) – The LA Galaxy have officially signed Spanish midfielder Riqui Puig from FC Barcelona, the club announced Thursday.
Puig arrives on a three-and-a-half-year contract through the 2025 MLS season using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM). The deal was announced on the same day the Galaxy transferred midfielder Rayan Raveloson to Ligue 1 side AJ Auxerre.
Barcelona reportedly have a buy-back agreement in the deal and will get 50% on any future sale.
“We are pleased to welcome Riqui to the LA Galaxy,” head coach Greg Vanney said in a release. “Riqui is a very technical and well-educated player with incredible experiences for his age. He will fit seamlessly into our group and style of play.”
The 22-year-old scored two goals and tallied three assists in 57 appearances (15 starts) across all competitions with Barcelona’s first team, winning the 2018-19 LaLiga title and the 2020-21 Copa del Rey.
“Riqui is a very talented player with a unique profile that brings something different to our squad,” said LA Galaxy technical director Jovan Kirovski.
ORIGINAL, (Aug. 2, 9:55 am ET) —The LA Galaxy are in talks to sign midfielder Riqui Puig from LaLiga powerhouse FC Barcelona, according to a report from Fabrizio Romano.
Puig, 22, is considered one of the top products from Barca’s famed La Masia academy in recent years. But he’s never quite carved out an established first-team role, and now doesn’t appear to be in manager Xavi Hernadez’s plans for the 2022-23 campaign.
That’s left Puig searching for a new home, with LA reportedly optimistic about completing a deal before the MLS Secondary Transfer Window closes on Thursday (Aug. 4).
Puig has two goals and three assists in 57 appearances for Barca, featuring across league, cup and European competition. The former Spain youth international debuted for Blaugrana in 2018 and is renowned for his on-ball ability and passing vision.
Should Puig come to LA, he’d join veteran Víctor Vázquez as a Barca product in the Galaxy’s midfield. LAFC midfielder Ilie Sanchez and Sporting Kansas City midfielder Uri Rosell also came through their academy system before carving out MLS careers.
Puig would enter a remade Galaxy midfield, with summertime signing Gaston Brugman (from Serie B’s Parma) and wintertime trade acquisition Mark Delgado (from Toronto FC) forming a base alongside Madagascar international Rayan Raveloson.
From 2017-21, LA had another Barca product in their midfield in Mexican international Jonathan dos Santos. He's now with Club América in Liga MX.
LA, in their second year under manager Greg Vanney, have often preferred a 4-3-3 formation with true wingers. They sit eighth in the Western Conference’s Audi MLS Cup Playoffs race, one spot below the postseason places with 12 regular-season matches remaining.
The Galaxy, owners of a record five MLS Cup titles, have qualified for the playoffs once from 2017-21.
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