Rayan Raveloson is reportedly in the process of being sold to Ligue 1 side AJ Auxerre, with the LA Galaxy's deal for Riqui Puig seemingly set to finalize.
According to The Athletic. the 25-year-old Madagascar International is set to move to France before the MLS secondary transfer window closes. Raveloson made 44 appearances for the Blue, White, and Gold in MLS, scoring eight goals and registering two assists.
He arrived at the LA Galaxy last season from Ligue 1 side Troyes, and made his first appearance for the club on July 4th against Sporting Kansas City in 2021. Scoring five goals in nine games, he then became a regular starter for the club.
In 2022, he’s played but struggled on the pitch. He hasn't been a goalscoring threat and struggled to keep possession during the Galaxy’s build-up. With defensive midfielder Gaston Brugman recently brought into the club, Raveloson was able to play higher up the pitch, allowing him to become a more effective player for the Galaxy.
But the Galaxy is also looking to sign Barcelona midfielder Riqui Puig at a juncture in which it has no Designated Player spots available. Raveloson's transfer to Auxerre will free up $855K in Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) in the Galaxy’s salary cap, also freeing up an International Roster spot on the team. Without the free DP spot, the Galaxy needs a way to free up cap space and an international roster spot. Moving Raveloson means the Galaxy can complete Puig's transfer, getting ready the roster spot needed for his MLS arrival.
🌟 A new player is in town 🇲🇬 pic.twitter.com/h89kSOEPsC
— AJ Auxerre (@AJA) August 3, 2022
Raveloson is currently in France to complete a medical, indicating that the transfer is set to finalize soon. He was on the roster for the Leagues Cup Showcase game against Chivas, but now won’t play in the game.
Auxerre recently gained promotion to Ligue 1 and have spent money on reinforcements for its upcoming first-division campaign. Should Raveloson sign with Auxerre, he could be part of the squad by the time the team faces LOSC Lille this weekend.
