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LA Galaxy: Galaxy linked to two Dutch legends

By Jordan Jacobsen

(L-R) Karim Rekik of Holland, Kevin Strootman of Holland, Wesley Sneijder of Holland, Robin van Persie of Holland during a training session prior to the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying match between France and Netherlands on August 30, 2017 at Stade de France in Saint Denis, France(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
(L-R) Karim Rekik of Holland, Kevin Strootman of Holland, Wesley Sneijder of Holland, Robin van Persie of Holland during a training session prior to the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying match between France and Netherlands on August 30, 2017 at Stade de France in Saint Denis, France(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images) /
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Silly season is in full force as the Los Angeles Galaxy are looking to rebuild from their disappointing last-place finish in 2017.

The Los Angeles Galaxy are in somewhat of a peculiar situation heading into 2018. Not only did they finish dead last in the entire league in 2017, the club doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to contracts and player movement for next season. Their new noisy neighbors, MLS newcomers Los Angeles FC, aren’t making things any easier, as LAFC looks to be following the impressive Atlanta United template for their debut season.

The Galaxy have already locked up their Designated Player spots with the dos Santos brothers, who haven’t stood out in MLS, and French winger, Romain Alessandrini, who was phenomenal last season despite the Galaxy’s struggles.

As MLS has decided to inject teams with nearly $3-million in TAM for next season, it seems the Galaxy are sticking with European veterans as their targets. Early reports indicate that Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder has already signed with the California club and will join them in January, while the Galaxy is in discussions about also bringing on fellow Netherlands National Team standout, Robin van Persie.

The moves are peculiar, if true, thanks to MLS teams in general having shifted their focus on signing younger, lesser-known talent. While the “retirement league” label definitely won’t go away if these signings come to fruition, the skillsets of Sneijder and van Persie are both driven by fundamental efficiency instead of athleticism, which means their age wouldn’t necessarily be such a negative, as long as Los Angeles has the pieces to let them focus on the attack.

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Moving Gio dos Santos to the wing opposite of Alessandrini, next to Sneijder, and behind van Persie is definitely intriguing. Especially since it would allow Jonathan dos Santos to move back into his more natural box-to-box role. Signing the Dutch legends may not be what fans Galaxy were hoping for after last season, but they may be just what the team needs to help them back into contention in the short-term.

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