The LA Galaxy’s pursuit of center back Giancarlo Gonzalez remains on, as the LA Times’ Kevin Baxter reported on Thursday that the club “are moving in a positive direction” in their chase to sign the Costa Rican international.
Working out a deal with Gonzalez and his club, Italian Serie A side Bologna, aren’t the only hoops LA will have to jump through in order to sign the 31-year-old.
Because he was sold by the Columbus Crew to Italian club Palermo midway through the 2014 season for a transfer fee greater than $500,000, Gonzalez is subject to the MLS allocation process. The Galaxy are currently 11th in the league’s allocation ranking order, meaning if Gonzalez signs with MLS, 10 teams would have a shot to claim him before the Galaxy. LA would almost assuredly have to trade up in the allocation order to avoid having another club claim Gonzalez.
According to multiple sources, the Galaxy have tried to do just that in recent weeks. The sources said that LA have engaged in trade discussions with multiple clubs about moving up towards the top of the allocation ranking list. Toronto FC currently hold the No. 1 position in the allocation ranking order. Orlando City are second; the Colorado Rapids are third.
The sources expect LA would have to pay a significant price to move up into the top three of the allocation ranking order. Though the market to move up in the ranking has been skewed a bit this winter by a pair of trades involving Toronto and FC Cincinnati, the sources pegged the value of the No. 1 spot at around $400,000 in allocation money, the amount Orlando paid FC Dallas to move up from No. 6 to No. 1 before they signed midfielder Uri Rosell in January 2018.
LA have been linked to Gonzalez for several weeks. He’s made 10 Serie A appearances for Bologna this season, though none since Feb. 10. Signed by Columbus ahead of the 2014 season following two seasons with Norwegian club Valerenga, Gonzalez made 17 appearances with the Crew before a star turn at the 2014 World Cup earned him a transfer to Palermo. He’s made 116 appearances in Serie A and has 71 career caps for Costa Rica.
