Galaxy sign Portuguese midfielder while making flexible plans for the summer
The Galaxy signed Portuguese midfielder Joao Pedro on Thursday, likely ending the team’s pursuit of Aruban international Gregor Breinburg and Villarreal’s Jonathan dos Santos.
For now.
According to a report on the team website, the Galaxy is preparing to sign defender Jelle Van Damme to a multiyear designated-player deal. But the team, the report said, would buy that contract down midseason with targeted allocation money from the league if it needs an additional DP spot.
The Galaxy currently has two designated player spots open meaning, in addition to Van Damme, it would have to sign two DPs to make a TAM-financed reduction of his contract necessary.
Van Damme, an MLS Best XI selection and a finalist for defender of the year, had a base salary of just $425,000 last season, his first in the league, according to figures released by the players union.
In MLS, defenders are rarely offered DP contracts. The Galaxy was the first to do that with Omar Gonzalez, who had his deal bought down with TAM funds in 2015 so the team could sign Giovani dos Santos. Following the same path with Van Damme allows the team to reward the Belgian center back for his performance last year while retaining the flexibility to pursue another DP during the summer transfer window.
One likely target would be Jonathan dos Santos, Gio’s younger brother. The Galaxy kicked the tires on a deal for him this winter but Villarreal, battling for a European tournament berth halfway through Spain’s La Liga schedule, was reluctant to give Dos Santos up. That opposition could ease after the Spanish season.
It’s less certain the Galaxy would revisit a deal for Breinburg after acquiring Pedro, whom the MLS team quietly pursued as the better choice all winter. That probably came as a surprise to Breinburg, who plays for NEC in the Eredivisie. He told Dutch TV last weekend that he expected to sign with the Galaxy this week.
As for Pedro, he was signed using TAM funds, meaning he will make more than the MLS maximum salary of around $480,000 but he will not fill a DP spot. The Galaxy signed U.S. international Jermaine Jones to a similar contract Wednesday.
Pedro, 23, has spent the last two years with Vitoria de Guimaraes in the Portuguese first division, scoring once in 21 appearances.
Twitter: kbaxter11
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