The biggest question

There is one thing that we know Vanney likes about his defenders; he likes them to have the ball at their feet often and establish the buildup play. 

Neal and Cáceres are extremely accurate passes with the ball. Neal leads the league with a percentage of 94% and Cáceres is 9th in the league with 90.2% 

Last season in Germany, Yoshida’s passing percentage was 76.1% — a total that puts him in the bottom six percentile among center backs in Europe’s top five leagues. 

Yoshida will likely see an increase in the volume of passes when on the pitch for the Galaxy. Time will tell if he’s a visible weak link on the backline or fits right in. Keep an eye on this once he gets on the pitch for the Blue, White, and Gold. 

With seven new defenders on the LA Galaxy this season, how they build chemistry with 12 games remaining on the season is what's going to keep LA in games defensively. Vanney's side tends to get caught in transition often and thus puts the backline in a high-pressure situation. With Cáceres out indefinitely, Yoshida is now the commanding presence in the backline - just as the Uruguayan was when he arrived last season. 

Additional trades

Another Veteran player added to the LA Galaxy is winger Michael Barrios. The 32-year-old was acquired from the Colorado Rapids in exchange for the LA Galaxy's first-round pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft. Colorado could receive up to $50,000 in conditional 2024 GAM if certain performance metrics are met by Barrios – who will not occupy an international roster spot.

“Michael is a dynamic attacker who has the capacity and quality to play wide or through the middle,” said Vanney via press release. “His experience and success in the league will be an important addition to our team for the stretch run. We welcome him and look forward to integrating him into the group.”

He tallied 37 goals and 50 assists in 211 matches played for FC Dallas from 2015 until 2020. Since joining the Rapids in 2021, Barrios recorded 12 goals and 16 assists in 87 regular-season appearances. During the current 2023 campaign, he has two goals and two assists in 20 league matches.

Barrios will most likely be the backup right winger to Douglas Costa. The Colombian’s pace and work rate are what led to his production in MLS. He’s a solid depth piece to add to the attack. With Douglas Costa essential to LA's potential playoff push, the club needed to get another winger in MLS. 

With the Galaxy acquiring Diego Fagundez on Tuesday, LA's winger depth is arguably at its strongest since Vanney took over the club. With LA needing to pick up their offensive output, there are now more players capable of being game-changers in the final third. 

It's not veterans the Galaxy are gathering. Midfielder Edwin Cerillo was acquired in exchange for $200,000 in 2023 General Allocation Money. Dallas could receive up to $400,000 in conditional GAM if certain performance metrics are met by Cerrillo. Additionally, Dallas would receive a percentage of a future transfer fee if Cerrillo is moved outside of MLS or within the league.

With Gaston Brugman suffering a torn meniscus during the Galaxy's 1-0 loss to Club León in the Leagues Cup, Cerrillo could start in his place. Uri Rosell started in their 2-1 loss to Vancouver and put in a good shift defensively. With Brugman out indefinitely, the Galaxy were in need of another defensive midfielder. 

“We are pleased to announce Edwin’s addition to the club. Edwin is a talented defensive midfielder who has already played over 100 professional games by the age of 22,” Vanney noted. “His education in the position and quality with and without the ball will help him quickly integrate into the group.”

In his five seasons with Dallas, he tallied four assists in 96 appearances across all competitions. This season, he led the club in possessions won with 122, and ranked second on the club with 776 completed passes (87.5% pass accuracy). He is used to having a high volume of touches and being the first line of defense for the backline — the exact role Brugman has for the Galaxy. 

Despite their sanctions, the Galaxy still managed to make transfers in areas of need. The Galaxy is going all-in for their playoff push in 2023.