Notes and Quotes: Will Kuntz provides 'State of the Galaxy' as DP search nears conclusion
LA Galaxy General Manager Will Kuntz provided information on the roster direction of the club and how he's viewing the next year ahead of the calendar change
The LA Galaxy didn’t provide much to celebrate in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with FC Dallas. But when the final whistle blew, the most interesting conversation of the day was in the press conference room.
General Manager Will Kuntz stepped in front of reporters ready to take questions about the club’s ongoing roster changes. A new Designated Player arriving by the end of the week. Edwin Cerrillo on the verge of departure. Tampering allegations surrounding Casemiro. A frank admission that this season hasn’t gone the way anyone planned.
Kuntz’s press conference felt like a “State of the Galaxy” moment that doesn’t come very often. Here’s everything noteworthy from Kuntz’s chat with the media.
Designated Player on the Way
The open Designated Player spot on the LA Galaxy will mold the direction the club takes to get back into contention for the MLS Cup.
They can either get an ageing star and have a smaller championship window or buy a younger player with high potential to develop into a star. The LA Galaxy took the ladder route with Gabriel Pec, and it ended up winning a championship.
LA’s did not leave a trail to follow for any of its recent signings but Kuntz made it clear this upcoming week will be a moment to reveal the new face of the G’s.
“I think we are very close to our third DP… our expectation is that he’ll be here by the end of the week,” Kuntz told reporters.
“We’re very close to two more pieces that are going to be additions on top of what we’ve seen from Robert [Taylor and Kyogo [Furuhashi] so far,” he added.
Kutz made it clear: This is the week for LA to unveil the player they believe will turn this team back into contenders.
Cautious with the U22
Aside from the Designated Player spot, the LA Galaxy also has a U22 roster spot open. This allows the Galaxy to sign a young prospect without worrying about the transfer fee making the player a DP. The cap hit is also lower for these players.
Kuntz emphasises that they’re looking for the right player who can develop properly and be a real asset for the club.
“It’s really important to get the right U‑22. If you look at the history of the position in the league, a lot of these guys take a little while to develop and come along so we want to make sure it’s the right kid,” Kuntz told reporters.
Cerrillo on the Move
The Galaxy has seen Pec, Matheus Nascimento and Maurico Cuevas leave the club in the last few months. Everything looks set for Edwin Cerrillo’s name to be added to the list.
Kuntz confirmed with reporters that Cerrillo is in “late stage negotiation” to leave the G’s. No team was named but he made it clear that it was very close to becoming official.
Cerrillo has been part of the club since 2023 and played a key role in the 2024 Championship team. The 25-year-old rolled his ankle in training at was left out of the matchday squad “out of abundance of caution, with a potential deal pending” according to Kuntz.
Losing the midfielder will be a major blow to the depth in the position but Kuntz was reassuring in getting another body in that sector of the pitch.
If Edwin goes, we’re going to need some more support in the midfield… we will definitely look to bolster our midfield.”
Casemiro Investigation
The LA Galaxy’s interest in former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro was real. The G’s looked to add his experience and pedigree to the squad, but the Brazilian chose to make Inter Miami his home in MLS.
The league released a statement following the official transfer announcement, saying it was looking into tampering allegations. The tampering has to do with LA holding the Brazilians discovery rights and right to negotiate with him.
Casemiro has stated that he told the Galaxy that he always had the intention of playing for Inter Miami, but Kuntz told that story from a different perspective.
“It is true that Casemiro called and said that he always wanted to play at Inter Miami. It’s also true that that came two months after he told us that he only wanted to play for the Galaxy,” Kuntz told reporters
“So I think, do with that what you will.”
Managing the Calendar Change.
Aside from thinking about making improvements for now, Kuntz’s main job is responsibly managing LA’s roster.
“There’s a sort of three‑legged‑stool conversation… this year, which is incredibly important for us… you’ve got the sprint season next year, which is going to be its own kind of animal… and also realigning everything such that we’re at full strength when we flip the calendar,” said Kuntz about what he’s thinking about during this time of roster management.
The return of Riqui Puig, Joao Klauss’ future, the new designated player, and roster flexibility to make win-now moves are something Kuntz will have to consider over the next year.
“We want to manage these three different aspects to keep flexibility alive… it’s a sort of rotating list of priorities.”
Performance Assessment
There’s no doubt that this LA Galaxy hasn’t gone the way many would’ve wanted. After the draw at home to Dallas, the G’s sit in 12th place in the Western Conference.
“We haven’t been good enough so far this year. I think everybody would acknowledge that. I think we have a better group than we’ve shown,” said Kuntz about the season.
“This is a league where playing your best later in the season matters more… I’m glad we haven’t played our best yet, and I feel really positive that as we get healthy and as these new guys come in and gel with the group, we have a chance to be pretty dangerous,” he added.
When asked about Head Coach Greg Vanney, Kuntz made it clear he’s backing him despite the growing critics.
“We’ve seen what happens when we’ve got the right group for Greg and everybody’s healthy. His track record speaks to that,” said Kuntz.
“if Greg is feeling pressure, it’s because I’m not doing something right.”