Los Angeles Times

LAFC trades forward Opoku to CF Montreal

- staff and wire reports

LAFC traded forward Mahala Opoku to CF Montreal for $1.75 million in allocation money hours after the MLS transfer window opened, a trade that is likely a precursor to another roster move. In a separate transactio­n, LAFC also received an internatio­nal roster spot from Montreal in exchange for $100,000 in allocation money.

Opoku, who turns 22 next week, signed as a teenager in the fall of 2020 from the Attram De Visser Soccer Academy in Ghana and made an immediate impact, scoring the deciding goal in a CONCACAF Champions League win over Cruz Azul two months later. He played in 64 MLS matches, including playoffs, for LAFC, scoring 10 times with eight assists. He appeared in all 34 regular-season games last season and 19 this season.

“Mahala has been an incredible story and an important player for us over the last few years,” John Thorringto­n, LAFC’s co-president and general manager, said in a statement.

“These decisions are never easy but are at times necessary.”

San Jose Earthquake­s midfielder Jackson Yueill was added to the U.S. roster for the knockout rounds of the CONCACAF Gold Cup as the replacemen­t for Alan Soñora, who strained his right hamstring. The U.S. Soccer Federation announced the change ahead of Sunday’s quarterfin­al against Canada in Cincinnati. ... Ian Harkes is returning to MLS with the New England Revolution under Bruce Arena, who coached his father at the University of Virginia and with the U.S. national team. New England said it signed the 28-year-old midfielder to a contract for the rest of the season and the deal includes a team option for 2024 and ’25. Harkes was with D.C. from 2017 to ’19, then joined Scotland’s Dundee United. His father, former U.S. captain John Harkes, played for the Revolution from 1991 to 2001. ... Paris Saint-Germain fired coach Christophe Galtier after a disappoint­ing season and replaced him with former Spain and Barcelona manager Luis Enrique. ... Brazilian soccer confederat­ion chairman Ednaldo Rodrigues said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti will be in charge of the national team at next year’s Copa America. Ancelotti still has not publicly confirmed any deal with the five-time World Cup champions. Brazil has never had a full-time foreign coach in charge of its national team. ... After 18 years with Chelsea and its youth teams, Mason Mount became Manchester United’s first signing of the offseason in a move worth $69 million. The England internatio­nal signed a five-year deal with the option of an extra year.

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