Galactic Notebook: Analyzing Preston Judd Trade and recent rumors
Lots of activity in LA Galaxy land to start the MLS offseason - let's dig into it
With the start of the MLS offseason this week, the LA Galaxy is actively making moves to manage their roster before the end of the year. Earlier in the week, the LA Galaxy traded Raheem Edwards to the CF Montreal, and their interest in Miki Yamane was confirmed by Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz on Corner of the Galaxy.
Let’s get into a round-up of all the recent news and rumors surrounding the LA Galaxy.
Preston Judd traded to San Jose
The LA Galaxy announced they acquired $200,000 in General Allocation Money from San Jose Earthquakes for 24-year-old striker Preston Judd on Thursday afternoon. The deal is structured so LA receives 100k in 2024 and 100k in 2025 - LA can receive an additional $50,000 in conditional 2025 GAM if certain performance metrics are met by Judd with San Jose during the 2024 campaign.
“We would like to thank Preston for being a consummate professional and excelling in front of goal from the day he was selected in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft,” said LA Galaxy General Manager Will Kuntz via press release. “Goal scorers will always be in demand in this game and Preston’s 33 goals in 75 games with our club meant it was only a matter of time before another team came to write the next chapter in his journey. We wish him all the best in this next step in his career.”
Judd ended the 2023 MLS season with four goals and one assist in 643 minutes. He led the team with 4.2 shots on a per 90-minute basis. The former second-round pick scored 30 goals and added six assists in 57 career regular-season games played across two seasons played for LA Galaxy II (2021-22) in the USL Championship.
It’s no secret the LA Galaxy is in the market for a striker and in win-now mode for the 2024 campaign. Judd showed promise and his physical profile set him apart from the rest of the Galaxy’s striker core last year. The 24-year-old lacked the technical ability to consistently connect with his teammates and his hold-up play was inconsistent. If Judd were to stay for 2024, he would likely be the third-string striker and see very little playing time - LA doesn’t usually have the patience to develop SuperDraft prospects and it’s no surprise the two are moving on.
LA targeting Edwin Herrera
Following Edwards’ exit, LA has just one left back on the roster. The Galaxy is already targeting replacement as sources confirm reports that Junior FC’s 25-year-old left back Edwin Herrera and the SoCal club have made contact about a possible move.
Junior FC recently won Colombia's Clausura on Dec. 13 - Herrera played just three minutes off the bench in the club’s penalty shootout victory (He converted his penalty).
Herrera’s camp confirmed with The Galactic Tribune that LA made an offer for the Colombian but was not satisfied with the offer. His camp is anticipating a new offer but as of now, the two sides are not progressing forward.
The 25-year-old is coming off his best season production-wise with one goal and three assists in this calendar year. He has 110 league appearances in Colombia and was part of Colombia’s youth national teams earlier in his career. With prospect Julian Aude the only other left back on the team, it’s no surprise to see the Galaxy targeting a player with experience in their prime.
Red Star Rumor
The LA Galaxy is one of multiple clubs in pursuit of Ghanaian and Red Star winger Osman Bukari. The 25-year-old is a key part of Red Star Belgrade and registered an assist in this week’s Champions League matchup. He currently has five goals and three assists in 15 league appearances.
Bukari is coming off a career year with 12 goals and three assists in the 2022-23 campaign. The African is a player with tremendous talent and his blistering pace makes him a tricky player to handle.
With multiple clubs interested in Bukari, the Galaxy will have to make a big offer to Red Star and convince him with a large contract to move to the States. Galaxy fans should be excited if this rumor has some legs to it as he’s a player who’s produced in his young career and even scored in last year’s World Cup.
As mentioned earlier, LA would be competing with multiple clubs for the Ghanaian winger. We’ll be monitoring to see if this rumor develops.