LA Galaxy in contract negotiations with Romain Alessandrini
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — The LA Galaxy are negotiating with midfielder Romain Alessandrini in a bid to keep him with the club after the recent expiration of his contract.
The five-time MLS champion Galaxy announced the negotiations Thursday amid several roster decisions. The Galaxy also are negotiating for new deals with defenders Daniel Steres and Diego Polenta.
Alessandrini has been a designated player for the Galaxy for the past three seasons. The 30-year-old Frenchman has been an outstanding playmaker and scorer when healthy, but he appeared in just five regular season games this year before missing five months with a knee injury.
Alessandrini returned to play as a substitute in the Galaxy’s two postseason games after completing several months of difficult rehabilitation. He remained in Los Angeles this month to continue his offseason work, and he has been vocal about his passion for the city.
The Galaxy likely are looking to keep Alessandrini, but not as a designated player. Jonathan Dos Santos and Cristian Pavón will fill two of the Galaxy’s three designated player slots next season, and the club hopes to add a high-profile striker to replace Zlatan Ibrahimović.
The Galaxy exercised their contract option for next season on Pavón earlier this week. They also exercised their options on defender Rolf Feltscher and midfielder Emil Cuello.
They declined their contract options on eight players, including Polenta, midfielder Favio Alvarez, midfielder Juninho, midfielder Joao Pedro, defender Tomas Hilliard-Arce and midfielder Servando Carrasco, the husband of U.S. women’s national team star Alex Morgan.
Midfielder Uriel Antuna’s loan from Manchester City also has expired after he scored six goals last season. Antuna was the Galaxy’s second-leading goal-scorer behind Ibrahimović’s 30 goals, but Antuna has attracted interest from multiple clubs, including big teams in his native Mexico.
