MLS
Could Robert Lewandowski follow Marco Reus to LA Galaxy?
With Reus’ MLS move seemingly close to completion, his former Borussia Dortmund teammate is thought to be the next target.
LA Galaxy have exceeded expectations so far in 2024, currently sitting fourth in the Western Conference and having lost just three of their opening 17 games.
Greg Vanney’s side have already signed team captain Riqui Puig to a new long-term deal and look to be closing in on German international Marco Reus. However the Galaxy, MLS’ most successful team, are not done yet.
Sources close to the club have told AS USA that Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski is the next transfer target for the Galaxy, potentially reuniting him with close friend Reus. Lewandowski has two years remaining on his current contract with Barcelona but the Catalan club would likely let him leave for a nominal price to shift his exorbitant wages.
Can LA Galaxy afford to sign Robert Lewandowski?
The Galaxy have won a league-high five MLS Cups but have not been crowned champions since the team of David Beckham and Landon Donovan lifted the trophy a decade ago. More recently they have made the playoffs in just two of the last seven seasons, a bleak period for the historic club.
The Galaxy front office acted boldly to strengthen the team for the 2024 season, breaking the club’s transfer record to sign forwards Gabriel Pec ($10.1m) and Joseph Paintsil ($9.2m). With that much money spent already, how could the Galaxy afford to strengthen even further?
Any deal for Lewandowski would only involve a small transfer fee, if any. At 35 years of age the veteran star has little transfer value and Barcelona would likely be fairly happy to off-load his wages. Lewandowski’s salary demands could be an issue but the Galaxy have the eighth-highest team payroll in 2024. In contrast their estimated value of $950 million makes the Galaxy the third-richest club in MLS in a recent study by Forbes.
As it stands Riqui Puig is the only senior Designated Player at the club, leaving two spots available for Reus and Lewandowski. It would be a sensational double-deal if the Galaxy can bring in both players this summer but it would echo Inter Miami’s 2023 business, targeting former teammates in a bid to create a more appealing offer for in-demand players.