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Report: Ola Kamara acquired by LA Galaxy for Gyasi Zardes, allocation money

One of the biggest deals in Major League Soccer on Friday did not come from the SuperDraft in Philadelphia.

The Columbus Crew and LA Galaxy completed a deal that had been in the media recently, exchanging Ola Kamara and Gyasi Zardes.

Columbus is also expected to receive $400,000 in allocation money from LA for the Norwegian striker. The Crew will also receive an additional $100,000 if the strike finds the back of the net 12 or more times this season.

Kamara fits the Galaxy’s need for a dangerous striker, scoring 35 goals over the past two seasons for the Crew.

LA only had one player in double digits for goals scored a year ago, Romain Alessandrini (13).

The 28-year-old had his most productive MLS season yet, bagging 19 goals for Gregg Berhalter’s side in 2017.

Zardes, 26, broke onto the scene for LA in 2014 scoring 17 goals under then-manager Bruce Arena in their MLS Cup run.

Since then, the U.S. midfielder has totaled 15 goals in the last three campaigns which has seen plagued by injuries.

Comments

  1. Interesting that the NAT player Zardes was traded. Maybe those that really know him dont rate him as highly as our past NAT coaches?

    Reply
    • Ola Kamara would make the squad for the US if he wasn’t Norwegian so I’m not sure your point.

      Also when was the last time Gyasi was called in when we had our full complement of forwards? He was called in October but only because Morris was out.

      Reply
    • Zardes lost most of last season to injuries and when he was okay to play Sigi put him in at RB since they had lost a lot of defenders and their defense was terrible. So, you can’t really judge him on last season. It’s hard to tell if he has regained his form yet or if he has lost anything because of his injuries.

      Reply
      • Zardes lack of scoring was more his position move to a winger from a CF. His first season at the LAG was as a CF and he scored 17 goals, then Arena and Klinsmann, both moved him to the wings where his speed and defensive capabilities were more needed, but as a result, he scored only 17 goals the three following seasons.

        When he finally got an opportunity to go back up top with the departure of Robbie Keane, he went and suffered a preseason broken foot and then a knee injury almost on top of each other which affected him all last season.

        At 26, he has good years in him and we will see what position Berhalter (who was at the LAG, when Zardes played in the U20’s there) will put him. While I do not think he can match Kamara up top, a return to a CF and good form,& he could easily get a 10-12 goals next season

  2. Sebastian Lletget
    Ashley Cole
    Giovani dos Santos
    Jonathan dos Santos
    Now Perry Kitchen and Ola Kamara….

    2018 is going to be interesting

    Reply

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