LAFC: AC Milan Brian Rodriguez interest reveals the inevitable
By Daniel Garza
AC Milan are reportedly interested in Los Angeles FC forward, Brian Rodriguez. Their interest reveals the inevitable consequence of the LAFC model.
Brian Rodriguez is one of the many international prospects that Los Angeles FC currently have on their roster. The 20-year-old joined the club last season with much promise, and with his countryman, Diego Rossi, already attracting attention from a vast array of European clubs, Rodriguez has also been heralded as the next top prospect LAFC have to offer.
Less than a year since his arrival in Los Angeles, the winger is grabbing headlines. Per Italian outlet, Tutomercato Web, several Serie A teams are interested in Rodriguez, including none other than AC Milan. The report comes right ahead of the European summer transfer window, when the world’s biggest teams tend to conduct their most significant business, and it appears that his agent is very interested in getting him a deal in Italy.
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Rodriguez’s name was already being linked to other clubs around Europe during May. Just a few weeks prior, Infofutbol reported that Borussia Dortmund were interested in a move. he was reported to have interest from Borussia Dortmund. Other clubs that have been name-dropped included Napoli, Bologna, and Sampdoria. “I am doing everything to bring him to Europe, in particular to Italy, he is a champion,” SampdoriaNews quotes his agent, Pablo Betancourt, as saying about Rodriguez.
Some of the aforementioned clubs are clearly very big names in European football which shows the level of promise Rodriguez is regarded as having in his career. The question remains on how serious the interest in signing Rodriguez is in the immediate future.
He has already made appearances for Uruguay’s senior national team. He has scored three goals in six appearances, which is substantially better than his tally in MLS. His first MLS goal remains elusive despite making 11 regular and postseason appearances.
Although Rodriguez has not found consistent offensive form yet in MLS, it is likely only a matter of time before he starts to really turn up the heat. Once he starts to produce goals and assists on a regular basis, he is destined to make the switch to Europe. After all, this is why he signed with LAFC in the first place.
Like Atlanta United illustrated with Miguel Almiron, LAFC are conducting a similar model: buy young, hungry, improving talent, primarily from South American, provide them with the opportunity to sell themselves to European buyers in MLS, reap the benefits of their excellent play during that time, and then sell them on for a massive profit. Everybody wins.
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Inevitably, Rodriguez will leave LAFC one day and it could very likely come within the next two seasons. When the summer transfer window opens, then, his name will be one to watch. The inevitable is coming, but it is precisely what LAFC signed up for.