Transfer Tracker

LA Galaxy sign Niko Hämäläinen on loan from English Championship side QPR

Niko Hamalainen

TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing

The LA Galaxy have signed defender Niko Hämäläinen on loan from English Championship side Queens Park Rangers through the end of the 2021 season, the club announced Friday.

The Galaxy traded $50,000 in General Allocation Money to Chicago Fire FC in exchange for the No. 1 spot in the MLS Waiver Order to acquire Hämäläinen, who has a US passport. The transaction was made before the close of the Secondary Transfer Window on Thursday night.

Hämäläinen, 24, joins the Galaxy after making 29 appearances across all competitions for QPR from 2017-21. He also played in 28 matches during a loan stint with Kilmarnock FC in the Scottish Premier League.

The West Palm Beach, Fla. native registered an assist in three games played for LAFC during the 2019 MLS regular-season campaign while on loan from QPR.

Internationally, Hämäläinen has seven caps with the Finland national team, including four starts, since making his senior team debut against Estonia on Jan. 11, 2019.