He was supposed to be a Barcelona star, now at 23 he’ll be defending the LA Galaxy jersey. I couldn’t believe they called, says Puig

Riqui Puig has long been seen as a great talent. Barcelona believed he would be another great product of the renowned academy. But it didn’t happen and now the freshly 23-year-old midfielder is moving away from Europe. He will now wear the Los Angeles Galaxy jersey.

Major League Soccer (MLS) can rejoice. In the summer, the local clubs managed to get valuable signings and big reinforcements that will once again increase the quality and prestige of the competition.

One of these reinforcements is Riqui Puig, a fresh 23-year-old midfielder. He is leaving Barcelona for the first time in his career and has been acquired for free by Los Angeles Galaxy, where he has signed a contract until December 2025.

He is expected to make his debut against Seattle Sounders already on Saturday and will complement stars such as Javier Hernandez, captain of the Californian team, and Dougles Costa.

On Wednesday, he held a press conference, where he surprised all European fans. “I couldn’t imagine being approached by this club. I couldn’t believe that LA Galaxy wanted me,” Goal quotes him as saying.

He sees his move to the United States as a risk. He is leaving for a new city and still sees a great opportunity in the MLS.

“This is a league for young players. Trust me. You will see even more young players in the coming years,” Puig said.

Source: MLS, LA Galaxy, Goal