The LA Galaxy has released its roster decisions for players with club options heading into the 2023 season. The club has been active in the trades as forward Cameron Dunbar and defender Derrick Williams have found new homes around the league. LA looks to be ready to compete for the 2023 MLS Cup.
Players under contract for the 2023 season are defenders Jonathan Bond, Julián Araujo, Nick DePuy, Raheem Edwards, Marcus Ferkranus, Chase Gasper, Kelvin Leerdam Jalen Neal; midfielders Efraín Álvarez, Gastón Brugman, Douglas Costa, Mark Delgado, Samuel Grandsir, Carlos Harvey, Riqui Puig and forwards Kévin Cabral and Dejan Joveljić.
The club exercised the options for defenders Martín Cáceres, Séga Coulibaly, midfielders Daniel Aguirre, Jonathan Pérez, Adam Saldaña, and forwards Javier “Chicharito” Hernández and Preston Judd. Chicharito had previously told reporters that a performance-based clause had automatically exercised his option for the 2023 season.
Cáceres and Coulibaly finished the season as coach Greg Vanney’s preferred center back duo. Aguirre made the most MLS appearances of his career in the 2022 season. Both Saldaña and Pérez dealt with injuries during the season that cost them playing time, both look to bounce back in 2023. Preston Judd led LA Galaxy II with 13 goals scored and four assists which ranked second in the squad.
The club declined the options of goalkeepers Jonathan Klinsmann and Richard Sánchez, defender Eriq Zavaleta and midfielder Víctor Vázquez but remain in discussions with them for the 2023 season.
Klinsmann was the backup goalkeeper to Jonathan Bond and made his only appearances of the season during the U.S Open Cup. Sánchez ended the season as the starter for LA Galaxy II in the USL Championship. Zavaleta made four appearances with the Blue, White, and Gold in MLS. Vázquez made 26 appearances for the Galaxy in 2022 and saw his usage go down as the season progressed.
The club also declined the contract options of defender Jorge Villafaña and midfielder Sacha Kljestan. Both players are out of contract and will no longer be part of the LA Galaxy. Villafaña, 32, suffered a season-ending injury that caused him to not play a single minute of soccer in 2022. Kljestan, 36, made 21 appearances during the 2022 campaign and reached 99 career assists. He spent three seasons with the LA Galaxy, recording six goals and three assists during that time.
MLS Free Agency begins on Nov. 16, and the first stage of the re-entry process is on Nov. 17.