Tuesday links: Kenneth Vermeer coming to the LA Galaxy?

The big story everyone is watching in LA is the LA Galaxy’s pursuit of Chicharito, with reports claiming the team and player’s representatives were to meet on Monday. While no news broke on Monday, it’s safe to say this is the biggest transfer story around MLS right now.

However, one note: Kevin Baxter has an extended discussion of Chicharito Watch in his Tuesday soccer newsletter for The Los Angeles Times, and while most of it is summing up what’s happened so far, he notes a friend who works at Sevilla, the Mexican’s current club, was apparently skeptical the player will be leaving his current club so soon. It could be one person’s opinion, but perhaps the optimism this will be a done deal in a matter of days is truly off the mark and we’ll need to be patient with a potential transfer of this magnitude.

On to the rest of the news for this Tuesday morning:

• Transfer rumor - Kenneth Vermeer: Dutch outlet De Telegraaf reported on Monday that the Feyenoord goalkeeper appears to be headed to the Galaxy. The 34-year-old has played in his native Netherlands (Ajax, Willem II and Feyenoord) and in Belgium (Club Brugge), winning six league titles and two Dutch domestic cups, while also picking up a handful of Dutch national team caps. Could he give David Bingham a run for the No. 1 spot? Stay tuned.
• MLS Draft: The Galaxy passed on their final three picks of the 2020 MLS SuperDraft on Monday. That means they didn’t select any players and their draft selection this year ended up being just Akron defender Tom Smart, whose name is not at all memeable, and who happens to be a Northern Ireland youth international from Birmingham, England.
• Lopez transferred to Energy FC: It was a surprise when Los Dos picked up Frank Lopez’s option this offseason, but the other shoe dropped on Monday, as the Cuban forward was permanently transferred to OKC Energy FC. Terms weren’t disclosed but he went on loan to San Antonio FC in 2019 and played well there, and now his Galaxy (II) stint is officially over.
• More soccer at DHSP: El Salvador and Iceland (of all countries) are playing a friendly in familiar confines on Jan. 19. You can buy tickets here. If the club scene is more to your taste, Liga MX titans Club América and Pumas UNAM will play a friendly March 28 at Dignity Health Sports Park, tickets available for purchase right here.
• Offseason work at the stadium: Speaking of Dignity Health Sports Park, here’s a video showing footage of the work being done with the Chargers gone and the safe standing section, Victoria Block, launching this season.

• Big change in Barcelona: In other news, Barcelona fired manager Ernesto Valverde on Monday, appointing Quique Setien to the best/worst job in the world. Spanish football expert Sid Lowe had a good column in The Guardian explaining exactly why this move happened now, seemingly the worst possible time to make a switch with Barça in first place in La Liga.

Today’s question: Should the Galaxy bring in an experienced goalkeeper from abroad like Kenneth Vermeer to push David Bingham in 2020? Let us know what you think about the goalkeeper situation below!