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Juan Pablo Angel's tenure with the Los Angeles Galaxy has been a disappointing one, and now it appears to have ended with a move that will keep him in LA, but in different colors.
The Galaxy have traded Angel to Chivas USA, sources told Fox Soccer on Monday. Details of the trade have yet to made available, but the deal helps free up a Designated Player slot the Galaxy will now use to sign Irish National Team striker Robbie Keane, who is reportedly joining the Galaxy on a $3 million transfer. (UPDATE-The Galaxy officially announced the acquisition of Keane this afternoon).
The Galaxy had received interest in Angel from the Philadelphia Union, Seattle Sounders and Chivas USA, and after initially balking at a move to Chivas USA, the Colombian striker changed his mind and will now join a Chivas USA side in the thick of the MLS playoff race.
Los Angeles will now add a top striker in Keane who will bolster the team's weakest position, and arguably their only true weakness, making the Galaxy even stronger MLS Cup favorites.
Angel joins a Chivas USA side that needs another forward as it makes a push for one of the final playoff spots in MLS. Angel has been struggling, but could find new life with a club that needs him to perform even more than the Galaxy did.
What do you think of this news? Like the idea of Keane coming to MLS? Think Angel can make an impact for Chivas USA?
Share your thoughts below.
The MLS transfer window closes at the end of Sun Aug 14. However, player who are not under contract can still be signed after that day.
Anyone who thinks rule stretching while the transfer window closes is individual to MLS is insane. Fernando Torres much?
You see this all the time when Visa’s and last minute signatures are required.
Did they bend the rules? Yes. Are you upset that this league signed Robbie Keane? I hope not.
sorry, “that’s not to say the Chivas FO is NOT dysfunctional…”
It seems to make sense given what I’ve heard of Vergara. He’s too cheap to want to pay Freddy or Benny, especially since those would be long-term deals. With Angel, he might only be on the hook for the rest of the season (and maybe not even the full salary if LA had to sweeten the pot), and he got a player that plays a position they desperately need help at.
Now that’s not to say the Chivas FO is dysfunctional, but given what we know about their dysfunction, this makes sense.
A bunch of people all mad because the league is speculated to have bent the rules based on nothing really.
IF the league did, THEN I am mad. NO question.
But none of you have any idea. Some seem like they “hope” the league did.
Are you saying the Sounders, Dallas, and Salt Lake won’t be asking the questions, if they feel like LA had an unfair advantage ?
perfectly said. if owners who really care for their club AND are willing to spend crazy money to bring good players in then im all for it. unless, everyone wants to have owners like my ‘Quakes that won’t spend unless it’s on the cheap and thus end up w/ the quality of team we have! who cares if rules are being bent or broken, as long as good players are on their way it’s a good!!!
Chivas USA has fans?? Woah.
Great pick up. Was impressed with Keanes willingness last year while at West Ham. Guy is 31, proven, and if he maintains that hunger he’s had for the last couple of years, should be a serious threat.
Still concerned about what we look like in 2-3 years, but this has to put us in serious contention for the Shield and the Cup this year.
MLS most likely transferred him (Spurs -> MLS) within the FIFA deadline. Since MLS owns all the clubs, allocating him could be considered an internal affair and beyond FIFA’s jurisdiction.
Well, that would represent some bending of historic policy for this single-entity league as currently constituted, wouldn’t it?
‘zactly
I bet AEG paid the fee, not MLS.
So Chivas passed on Freddy and Feilhaber, and chose the ineffective, aging forward? As a DC fan, I’m glad the dumb front office mantel has passed.
at this point i’d rather have alejandro moreno than jpa. younger by a bit and just as much league experience and actually likely to score and get goals … why they needed jpa in chivas land is anybody’s guess … they don’t seem very bright over on that side of the HDC.
Again, what verifiable information other that blatant speculation do you have that proves that the league and the LA Galaxy have bent or broken rules to make this happen?
Other sports leagues including the NFL, NBA and the MLB have proposed deals go down to the wire and surprise deals are struck nearing and even surpassing the trade or deal deadlines…
I say bravo to the league and mostly to the Galaxy for making this happen. Deals like this should be struck more often, so the league has an more appealing perception on a global scale.
+2
As if the state of refereeing in the league wasn’t enough to render it a joke, the repeated complete circumvention of league rules for the benefit of AEG ought to finish the job. This is a league in which David Stern and Tim Donaghy would feel right at home. I guess we’re not out of step with FIFA in regards to integrity though.
Haha +1
Why would Chivas allow this to go through? It makes no sense to me for them to take on a DP salary for a guy who can’t score, and let their rival bring in another big name to further push them towards irrelevance. Just seems shady
Not that I’m against it. I’d love to see more in the future, if I’m honest.
Great point, though.
No they paid about 5 Million for Luis Hernandez.
I thought MLS doesn’t pay transfer fees?
have you seen keane play recently? you may want to hold those comments until you do.
Good point.
Too defensive minded? Well, that’s what happens when you coach the USMNT for more than 4 years :]
While he may not have 100% match fitness, he did just complete the usual preseason routine and isn’t injured, from all reports I’ve read.
Refreshing we’re not getting an injured 30+ to rehab and wait till the follow year to see play…….
Well, signing TV deals can help pay for transfers like this now.
An article this morning on Soccernet.com (which isn’t up now) stated Keane at the time of the article being posted, around noon in England today, remained unsure if the transfer would be completed since the deadline passed.
The article cited variables such as Angel needing to be moved in order to make room for Keane and that deal had yet to be completed.
Conjecture, speculation or jaded skepticism: would you really be surprised if rules weren’t bent?
Seriously….?
what a waste of a purchase another old fart to retire here. God Arena sucks same bland boring style. We let Sigi go for the same reason why cant we offload him. at Least Sigi’s Style changed but Arena is too defensive minded.
Keane will be a top striker in this league for sure, bit out of shape but thats lack of playing, not talent.
Surprised that anyone wants Angel after the last little while. Makes me laugh that some TFC supporters were calling for his signiture at the start of the season.
If I were a Chivas fan, I would be angry with management because their purpose in life seems to be to take on whomever the Galaxy wants to unload. They must be getting a ton of allocation money with the deal since I can’t imagine they’d want to take on all that salary. You got to wonder if the league didn’t sweeten the deal for the Goats somehow.
That said, Robbie Keane should tear up MLS!
Seriously folks…what other than your own conjecture and opinion make you believe that this matter was other than legit? Not just opinion and pretty much verifiable by all the sports writing’s in relation, this seems very straightforward and no rule breaking has been done to give the Galaxy an unfair advantage.
I’ve read £3,000,000, not dollars, on several other sites. Probably an oversight in the article.
That said, you and I are on the same page. Pretty hefty transfer fee by a league that doesn’t believe in paying them generally.
$3 million USD, £1.8 million GBP.
Galaxy fans all thought “We’re going to have a hearty chuckle if Galaxy beats NYRB on a couple Angel goals.” Never happened. Don’t get your hopes up.
Was a 3 million dollar transfer fee or 3 million pounds?
Kind of a huge deal in MLS terms, anyhow, I hope Keane tears it up, and I also hope Angel can light it up a few times the rest of the season for Chivas USA, he just couldn’t buy goal and the Galaxy CANNOT afford that from, not to mention from a DP.
So he’s the 2nd DP to get traded correct? After Ljundgerg and he is also Chivas USA’s 1st DP correct?
+1
Good luck to JPA. I wish things had worked out, but maybe a change will do him some good.
Now, come on Galaxy! We’re waiting for ANOTHER announcement!!
So . . . basically Chivas USA is the LA Galaxy reserve team?? 🙂
I’m going to have a hearty chuckle if Chivas makes the playoffs as the #10, advances to the next round against LA and then knocks them out on a couple of Angel goals.
3 teams wanted Angel? Seriously?? Loved him in NY, but how in the world were they able to move an injury prone DP striker ready to retire? Only if they paid for most of his salary? Actually feel bad for Goats fans for once. No to Adu, yes to Angel??
I would look for something simpler. What was it the league promised Chivas in order to sweeten the deal. In no sane universe does this deal get done straight on its merits.
I’m interested in knowing if any league “rules” were bent to accomplish this, or if it was completely legit all the way through.
You should specify which deadline you’re referring to.
MLS transfer deadline, according to league rules?
or
LA’s individual deadline, according to Garber?
Calling Keane a top striker is a bit of a stretch.
Can’t wait to hear how LA got this deal done before the deadline passed.
Great more GALS trash.
Unable to research it properly (at work) and failing to remember:
Is the Robbie Keane transfer the highest MLS has ever paid for a player?
Considering how little Angel has accomplished this year, its a wonder Galaxy were able to off-load him, especially at his age. Keane will be a beast in MLS. The Galaxy should be in great shape to win the Supporter’s Shield now. Playoffs are always a bit more iffy.
So much for the Union picking up the striker…
WTF Angel waht did you do my friend?
Good luck to Angel.