Will Riqui Puig continue at LA Galaxy next season?
The Spanish midfielder was injured in the final stretch of the season and unable to help the LA Galaxy qualify for the playoffs.
The Los Angeles Galaxy ended the 2023 Major League Soccer season in the worst possible way - with a painful 1-4 home defeat to FC Dallas. It concluded one of the franchise’s worst seasons in league history. The Galaxy finished second from bottom in the Western Conference with 36 points and a balance of eight wins, 12 draws and 14 defeats.
The Galaxy, the team that has won the most titles in MLS history, were in with a chance to qualify for the playoffs. But the team clearly missed Riqui Puig, who was injured in the final stretch of the season. The Spanish midfielder missed four consecutive games - against Portland, Seattle, Minnesota and Salt Lake and his absence was noticed - the team failed to win any of those matches, drawing two and losing two.
Puig returned for the final game of the regular season, but he could do little to close the season with dignity and now he will have time to analyze his future. With the season over for the Galaxy, it’s time to take stock and starting planning for next year. Riqui, whose contract will expire in December 2025, recently said that he wants to be in a team that has a chance of winning trophies. Unfortunately, that is something that doesn’t look like it will happen soon at the Los Angeles franchise - the team’s last title was the MLS Cup in 2014.
Puig’s wish is to stay
Puig added that if the objectives were not achieved this year, he would sit down with the board to listen to the Los Angeles Galaxy’s plan for the following campaign. Since his arrival a year and a half ago, he converted himself into one of the MLS’ best players which has sparked interest from a few foreign clubs.
Puig is happy with his life in Los Angeles and wants to mark his own history in the league. But his future with the Galaxy will depend on the outcomes of the discussions he has with the board at the start of the New Year and whether the squad can be rebuilt to form a respected and competitive team.
The idea is to build a team around Puig. The aspirations of the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2024 depend largely on what the Spaniard does on the field of play. This season, Puig played an active role in 11 of the team’s 51 goals in MLS, scoring seven and creating another our. The 24-year-old has a market vale of $12 million according to transfermarkt.