LAFC acquires Eddie Segura from Atletico Huila on a six-month loan
The Los Angeles Football Club has acquired Eddie Segura, a 21-year-old center back, from Colombian club Atletico Huila on a six-month loan, the MLS team announced Wednesday.
Segura captained Atletico to a fourth-place finish in Colombia’s Apertura and a trip to the playoff semifinals, appearing in each of the team’s matches. In two seasons with Atletico he played in 80 games across all competition.
Segura’s loan includes an option to buy.
“At such a young age Eddie has accumulated a wealth of experience in Colombia,” John Thorrington, LAFC’s executive vice president of soccer operations, said in a statement. “We believe he has the requisite potential and qualities to make an immediate impact in our back line next season.”
And LAFC’s back line could be one in flux this offseason. The team allowed center back Laurent Ciman to return to Belgium in August and replaced him with Brazilian loan Danilo Silva. Silva’s loan from Internacional expires soon but LAFC is hopeful of retaining him for next season.
Walker Zimmerman, the team’s other starting center back, reportedly declined a contract extension in September and is seeking more than double the $235,000 he made in 2018. Zimmerman said he would also entertain offers from Europe.
Also unsigned for next season is veteran defender Jordan Harvey. Thorrington must make decisions about whether to offer new contracts to Harvey and midfielder Benny Feilhaber before the league deadline Monday. LAFC also holds contract options on several other players, among them forward Marco Urena.
Segura is the eighth Latin American player signed by LAFC. Last year the club added Colombian Juan Pablo Angel, a former MLS all-star who played for Chivas USA and the Galaxy, as a technical assistant to help scout and sign players in South America.
LAFC finished 16-9-9 in its first season, becoming just the fifth expansion team in league history to reach the postseason. Its stay in the playoffs was a short one, though, ending with a loss to Real Salt Lake in the knockout round. LAFC’s 68 goals were best in the Western Conference and second-most in MLS.
kevin.baxter@latimes.com | Twitter: @kbaxter11
