Galaxy looking for the right momentum going into 2026 season
CARSON — The Galaxy are a month away from opening the 2026 Major League Soccer season and also the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
The Galaxy also want to forget about 2025 when the club finished near the bottom of the Western Conference.
Fortunately, the club has a history it can fall back on. After a disappointing 2023, the Galaxy returned in 2024 and won their sixth MLS Cup.
“We just need to have a good start to the season,” defender John Nelson said Wednesday. “I think it’s all about momentum. Looking at last year, we just started so bad, everything was so flat, we were so inconsistent.”
Nelson recently signed a contract extension through the 2027-28 season, with an option for 2028-29.
“We’re talking about it in the locker room and our meetings, we just have to have a good start,” he said. “We need momentum. You look at the last half of last season, were were pretty good, you know, we were decent, to be fair, but we put ourselves in such a big hole to start the season and it was so tough to climb out of it.”
The Galaxy went 0-12-4 in their first 16 games. Over the second half of the season, the club did make a run in Leagues Cup, eventually earning a spot in this year’s CONCACAF Champions Cup.
One goal for the offseason was tightening up the club’s defensive effort. To accomplish that, the Galaxy acquired Jakob Glesnes in a trade with the Philadelphia Union and signed Justin Haak from New York City FC.
“Two really solid MLS veterans,” Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz said. “Proven playoff experience, big game experience … we feel really good about the group we have now.”
Another year without Riqui Puig
The Galaxy will also have another year without their dynamic midfielder Riqui Puig, who underwent a second ACL surgery on his left knee earlier this month.
“On January 1st, I texted him Happy New Year and his text to me was how excited he was to get back,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “And then on January 2nd, I woke up to a text (from him): ‘I’m going to have to have surgery again.’ For him, just brutal.”
Puig, who had started training toward the end of last season, had moved his recovery back home to Spain.
“It’s devastating, it’s really difficult for the team,” Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz said. “With everything he put into his rehab, we just feel for him.”
Galaxy linked to Joao Klauss
The Athletic’s Tom Bogert reported that the Galaxy were in “talks to acquire” St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss. It would be a cash deal trade for approximately $2 million.
Klauss, who is a Designated Player, has scored 25 goals and added eight assists in three MLS seasons. His contract ends at the end of the 2026 season.
Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz wouldn’t comment on the report.
“Scored good goals against us last year,” Vanney said of Klauss. “He’s obviously a talented striker. He’s a big target, he’s got good feet, he’s an interesting option. I think my understanding is we’re in some discussion, but I don’t know how close we are or if we’re there, but I think he gives us some uniqueness to the top.”