Douglas Costa set to leave LA Galaxy - Move to Saudi Pro League next?
In a brief statement, the Los Angeles Galaxy announced on Tuesday night that Designated Player (DP) Douglas Costa will not return for the 2024 season. With the contract set to expire on Dec. 31, 2024, Costa will be available as a free agent in the January window. The Galaxy, in turn, free up much needed space to restructure their roster.
Costa’s departure from the club is in many ways consequential. Although Douglas Costa scored a respectable three goals and seven assists in 19 Major League Soccer regular season games, the output hardly justified his $4.5 million guaranteed compensation. According to the MLSPA, that makes Costa the eighth highest-paid player in the league and second highest-paid player at the Galaxy behind Chicharito ($7.4m).
The departure of the former Shakhtar Donetsk, Bayern Munich, and Juventus star not only frees up budget but, more importantly, a DP spot ahead of the 2024 season. The other two DP players at the Galaxy are currently Riqui Puig and Chicharito. While there have been speculations about Chicharito’s future, Puig will most definitely be the cornerstone of Greg Vanney’s side next season. In fact, the Galaxy are now expected to enter the next stage of a rebuild that is supposed to return one of MLS’s most historic franchises to its former glory.
Douglas Costa leaves the LA Galaxy – Move to the Saudi Pro League next?
But what will happen to Douglas Costa? Although the Brazilian scored just eight goals and eight assists in 51 games across all competitions for the Galaxy, the form did recently trend in the right direction. The 33-year-old had five scorer points in his last five MLS games. It is, therefore, not surprising that Fabrizio Romano has linked Costa with a move to the Saudi Pro League.
- Date of birth/Age:
- Sep 14, 1990 (33)
- Nat.:
- Current club:
- Fluminense Football Club
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2025
- Position:
- Right Winger
- Market Value:
- €1.30m
- Total Market Value:
- €52.63m
- Competition:
- Major League Soccer
- Squad size:
- 27
- Latest Transfer:
- Carlos Garcés