It’s all hands on deck Friday night at BMO Stadium when the shorthanded Los Angeles Football Club hosts the Portland Timbers.
With the game coming a day after the secondary transfer window opened Thursday, the state of affairs for LAFC leading into an important Western Conference clash is apparent.
“We need players,” head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “I think that’s clear.”
The first of several new faces to arrive before Cherundolo parts ways with LAFC at the end of the season is expected to be 26-year-old Canadian international midfielder Mathieu Choinière, a two-time MLS All-Star with CF Montréal who played the past year in the Swiss first division for the LAFC-owned Grasshopper Club Zurich.
On top of midfield depth, targets include at least a couple of center backs plus an attacker or two. Following the early exit of striker Olivier Giroud, who arrived this time last year, reports have linked LAFC with big-named attackers Thomas Müller and Son Heung-min.
How things shake out by the time the window closes Aug. 21 will depend on a variety of factors that are always in the mix — budgets, allocations of funds, who is available on the market and pinpointing the right combination of person/player for those spots.
“Fingers crossed whoever comes in has the right head on his shoulders and can make a quick impact,” LAFC midfielder Mark Delgado said.
Getting caught between reloading for a strong finish in 2025 and what’s to come with a new manager next year has not been a problem, said Cherundolo, who noted that the window feels like any other from his three-plus years leading LAFC.
“We’ve always worked in the fashion at LAFC, even since before my time, of trying to win now,” he said. “And I think every window we have always used for that specific purpose. So that doesn’t change regardless of who will be managing the team next year. Winning now helps the future. We’ve always kind of worked off that basis and we’ll continue to do the same.”
In Javairô Dilrosun’s case, there’s no doubt about that. Growing used to LAFC since arriving June 11, the Dutch winger scored twice in seven appearances, including in Saturday’s 3-3 draw with the Galaxy in his sixth straight start.
On a short-term loan from Club América to augment LAFC’s roster prior to the Club World Cup, Dilrosun was supposed to return to Mexico on Thursday, but the sides agreed to a one-day extension that kept him in the fold for the Timbers (9-7-7, 34 points).
Before other reinforcements can help, LAFC (10-5-6, 36 points) will conclude a five-game MLS stretch leading into Leagues Cup looking for 13 of a possible 15 points, and, with two games in hand, being within striking distance of the Western Conference lead.
Without center back Eddie Segura (suspended following a late red card against the Galaxy) or set-in-stone fullback Sergi Palencia (home in Spain working through the process to obtain a green card), Portland has a chance to push the limits of an already-depleted LAFC backline. In April, the teams tied 3-3 at Providence Park.
“We have a number of solutions that we’ll prepare for this match,” like using players out of position or calling on reserves from the second team, Cherundolo said. “Our goals remain the same: It’s still a game we want to win.”
PORTLAND TIMBERS AT LAFC
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: BMO Stadium
TV/radio: Apple TV (MLS Season Pass)/710 AM, 980 AM
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