The LA Galaxy have confirmed the signing of former Barcelona midfielder Sergi Roberto.
The 34-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the option of a third, the MLS club announced on Saturday.
- Jorge Messi, the father of Lionel, dies at 68
- San Jose hires ex-Portland executive Wilkinson as consultant
Sergi Roberto spent 18 years at boyhood club Barcelona and has spent the past two seasons playing for Italian side Como, where he was coached by Cesc Fabregas.
"Sergi brings a combination of leadership, technical quality, tactical intelligence, and championship experience that few players have," Will Kuntz, general manager of LA Galaxy, said.
"He has been a key member of some of the greatest teams of his generation and understands not only what it takes to win, but what it means to be a winning team. Sergi's character, positional versatility, and leadership will be invaluable, and we are excited to welcome him and his family to the LA Galaxy."
He scored 19 goals in 373 first-team appearances for Barcelona and captained the club in the 2023-24 season. He won seven LaLiga championships, six Copa del Rey titles, six Spanish Super Cups, two UEFA Champions League trophies, two FIFA Club World Cups and two UEFA Super Cups and will be remembered for his 2017 goal against Paris Saint-Germain which completed a legendary 6-1 win, one of the greatest Champions League comebacks ever.
Sergi Roberto will join German star Marco Reus in the Galaxy midfield. He will also be reunited with former Barcelona teammate Riqui Puig, who is expected to return for LA in 2027 after missing two straight seasons due to injury.
The Galaxy are sitting 12th in the Western Conference standings during another disappointing season, but they are making moves in an attempt to finish strong before moving into 2027 with a revamped roster. Since winning their record sixth MLS Cup title in 2024, the Galaxy have won just 12 of their 53 subsequent MLS matches.
The Galaxy signed Sergi Roberto one day after agreeing to a loan deal for Mexican forward Hirving "Chucky" Lozano from San Diego FC.
While Sergi Roberto was a key contributor at Barcelona for over a decade, he has made only 11 international appearances for Spain, which had many of soccer's greatest midfielders during his prime, including Andrés Iniesta, Xavi and Sergio Busquets.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
