MLS
Marco Reus nears LA Galaxy transfer: When will he make his MLS debut?
Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney hinted that the former Borussia Dortmund star could soon be arriving on the West Coast.
The MLS Secondary Transfer Window is officially open, giving teams the chance to fortify their squads ahead of the Leagues Cup, the regular season run-in and the all-important MLS Cup playoffs.
For many teams the work has already been done, with a number of headline-grabbing deals already lined up for the summer. LAFC have completed the signing of Olivier Giroud and neighbours LA Galaxy look set to announce a big European star of their own.
The Galaxy are poised to announce the arrival of Marco Reus, who left Borussia Dortmund after the expiration of his contract. Reus was a part of the Dortmund team that made it to the Champions League final just two months ago and Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney was full of praise for the attacking midfielder.
“A player of his profile gives you experience, it gives you quality, it gives you versatility, also – a winning mentality, a championship mentality,” Vanney said after the midweek win over high-flying Colorado Rapids. “Those types of things are always good for teams.”
When will Marco Reus make his LA Galaxy debut?
The league’s secondary transfer window opened on July 18 and Reus is currently a free agent, meaning that the Galaxy can sign him as soon as a deal is agreed between the two parties.
However Reus, now 35, is coming off a gruelling European season and may want a brief period of rest before embarking on this new challenge. He certainly won’t be ready to play any part in Saturday’s MLS clash against Portland Timbers.
After that, and Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game, the Galaxy’s next fixture is their 2024 Leagues Cup opener against San Jose Earthquakes on July 30. The Galaxy will be hoping to progress deep in this year’s competition and Reus will likely make his debut in Leagues Cup. They return to MLS action with the visit of Atlanta United on July 24, the game in which Reus will almost certainly make his MLS debut.
From Galaxy’s point of view, they’re doing pretty well without him. Vanney’s side are top of the Western Conference and boast the delightful attacking trident of Riqui Puig (7 goals/10 assists), Gabriel Pec (9g/10a) and Joseph Paintsil (7g/7a). Nevertheless there is hope that Reus’ elite-level experience can add something different to this exciting Galaxy attack and help turn a good season into a great one.