Los Angeles Football Club supporters could see something this year that they have not since Steve Cherundolo took over as head coach prior to the 2022 season.
Two days before kicking off the 2025 Major League Soccer schedule at home against Minnesota United, LAFC announced the acquisition of Turkish forward Cengiz Ünder on loan from Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe.
Ünder joins Denis Bouanga and Olivier Giroud as the club’s Designated Players — each of whom have salaries higher than the league’s maximum salary budget charge. Not since 2021, when Carlos Vela, Diego Rossi and Brian Rodriguez were under contract, has LAFC featured a trio of DP attackers.
“I look forward to playing in front of the Los Angeles fans and representing the inclusive culture of the club,” Ünder said in a statement on Thursday. “I know that L.A. is home to many ethnicities and that LAFC has a multicultural fan base, including many Armenians. I am a professional who enjoys the game of football and believes in its unifying power; I have played in England, Italy and France and have shared my joys and sorrows with teammates, fans, and other community members of many different ethnicities, which I will continue to do in L.A. I know that our fans are aware of the unifying power of sports, and I hope we can embrace each other.”
Ünder was named the Turkish Footballer of the Year in 2018. The 27-year-old right winger has 66 goals and 46 assists as a professional. For the Turkish national team, Ünder scored 16 times and added 10 assists in 51 caps.
Beginning his career with Turkey’s Altinordu in 2014, Ünder went on to play for AS Roma, Leicester City and Olympique de Marseille before moving to Fenerbahçe in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of 15 million euros. He made 42 appearances for Fenerbahçe including 20 starts, recording nine goals and three assists with the Turkish side.
“Cengiz is a top-quality player with experience at the highest levels of international competition,” LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington said in a statement announcing the loan. “He has proven himself in some of the best leagues in the world and his attacking abilities will contribute to our success in 2025.”
Expiring on June 30, the loan includes a purchase option that gives LAFC room to maneuver as it seeks to sign French star Antoine Griezmann during the secondary transfer window (July 24-Aug. 21).
