Manchester City youngster Uriel Antuna will be headed to the LA Galaxy on loan this season. For the 21-year-old, his time in Major League Soccer will be crucial for his future.
As the Guillermo Barros Schelotto era gets started in Los Angeles, the LA Galaxy made a move this week to get some assistance in the midfield, signing 21-year-old Mexican midfielder Uriel Antuna of Manchester City on loan.
Antuna will bring added depth to the midfield as the Galaxy have had trouble with inconsistency in the middle of the pitch.
The Mexican international will join fellow countryman Jonathan and Giovani dos Santos who are two long-running stars of El Tri. In fact, Antuna may have to displace one of these two players in the starting XI in order to get regular starts this season.
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It has been a fairly common start at a big club for Antuna. He has spent his first two years with Man City at FC Groningen on loan in the Dutch Eredivisie. In total, he made 22 appearances for Groningen’s senior team and 19 appearances with their U-21 side.
Antuna got his start with Santos Laguna in Liga MX in 2017 when he made his professional debut. One of his key moments early in his career was his play for Mexico’s U-20 team at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup when he played in every single match for Mexico.
The season-long loan at the LA Galaxy will be a key step in Antuna’s career. He struggled to make regular appearances for Groningen’s first team and Manchester City will no doubt be watching how his return to North America goes.
Antuna will certainly need to find his way into the starting XI and make an impression on Barros Schelotto to make some noise. He will be learning from a great manager and former player which will aid in his development.
Not only will Antuna be looking to impress Man City, but his national team hopes in 2019 may also rest on how his performance go for the Galaxy. He has yet to make an appearance for the senior Mexican national team. He was called up for the recent friendlies at the end of 2018 but did not get to make an appearance.
He will also be hoping to establish himself at the fiercely competitive Manchester City. At 21, this is probably his final chance to forge a role for himself at his parent club. It is now or never for him and his career.
As this is only a season-long loan, Antuna is not guaranteed anything. Although this move comes from a world-renowned club like Man. City, that does not mean it will pan out in the end. The 21-year-old will have to prove himself in MLS against ever-growing competition at the club for starting roles. But this could be a key stop in his career nonetheless.