Confirmed Transfers

It’s no secret that 18-year-old Mexican phenom Diego Lainez has played his last match for Club América (going out with a bang as the Apertura 2018 champion). With two El Tri appearances to his name, Lainez only further boosted his market value with two goals during América’s semifinal victory over Pumas, and it looks as though Dutch giants Ajax are about to meet the Mexican club’s valuation of the precocious winger.

Christian Pulisic had a difficult year. From missing out on the World Cup to dealing with injury to not being a consistent starter for Borussia Dortmund, you can’t blame the 20-year old for wanting a little change of scenery. Pulisic has been on the radar of big European clubs for quite some time now, and a summer move seems inevitable.

Boca Juniors hero Guillermo Barros Schelotto spent four illustrious seasons in Major League Soccer with the Columbus Crew. Now he’s coming back to MLS — as the new LA Galaxy coach.

PSV Eindhoven keeps increasing its footprint in North America. The Dutch club has been home to a number of Mexico internationals over the years, notably Hirving Lozano and Erick Gutierrez currently. DeMarcus Beasley once kept chalk on his boots on the wings at PSV in the Eredivisie and Champions League. PSV added one more American to the ranks on Friday: 18-year-old Richard Ledezma.

Ledezma, a Phoenix native, made his move official on Friday, though it’s been known for some time he’d be making the move during the winter transfer window after he turned 18 in September.

It’s official: Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not be joining AC Milan or some other European power come January — instead, the Swedish striker will focus entirely on the 2019 MLS season with the Los Angeles Galaxy. 

“MLZ (Major League Zlatan) Im not done with you yet,” said Ibrahimovic on Twitter, putting to bed some rumors that the striker himself has continuously distanced himself from since the close of the regular season. 

FC Cincinnati will make its Major League Soccer debut in 2019. While reasonably successful in the United Soccer League the last three years, MLS will present a far greater challenge for the Orange and Blue. Fortunately for fans in the 66th largest city in the U.S., a number of recent FC Cincinnati signings this week have the club trending in the right direction.

This weekend was full of official transfer business for two of the USMNT’s brightest stars: It’s been long-anticipated, but New York Red Bulls midfielder Tyler Adams, 19, will officially join Bundesliga side RB Leipzig when the January transfer window opens, and Christian Pulisic, 20, was the subject of an official transfer approach from Premier League club Chelsea.

There’s definitely a little bit of jealousy when it comes to thinking about the quality of player that Canada possesses here, but on the whole, it’s incredible seeing 18-year-old Alphonso Davies training alongside Arjen Robben and Thomas Müller at Bayern’s legendary Säbener Strasse training facility.

We try to keep up with all things Christian Pulisic and Chucky Lozano here at The18, and the CONCACAF reporting bond will only grow stronger with Davies in Bavaria. 

Alphonso Davies signed off on his Vancouver Whitecaps career with a sensational solo strike in the club’s match against the Portland Timbers on Sunday. Vancouver had already been eliminated from playoff contention and used the season finale at BC Place as a send-off to the 17-year-old, who joined the club’s residency program in 2015.