Hirving “Chucky” Lozano’s brief, tumultuous and expensive stay in San Diego has come to an end — for now.
San Diego FC announced Friday that it has loaned the Mexican winger to Major League Soccer rival LA Galaxy through the end of December, with the Galaxy holding a permanent trade option at the end of the year.
Lozano spent one season on the field for SDFC, starting 22 matches, playing in 31, scoring 11 goals and notching nine assists.
He and SDFC have been on the outs since last Oct. 4, when Lozano threw what witnesses described as a locker-room tantrum after coach Mikey Varas subbed him out of a game at halftime. He was suspended for the regular-season finale and came off the bench in the playoffs. He has not appeared in a match since Nov. 29, when he played the second half of a SDFC playoff loss.
“We have been working with Hirving and his side to find the right opportunity for him to get him back on the field,” said SDFC sporting director Tyler Heaps. “We appreciate his contributions during our record-setting inaugural season and wish him well as he continues his career.”
Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz called the club’s acquisition “something of a full-circle moment,” noting that the club tried to acquire Lozano three years ago.
At 5-7-6, SDFC sits one point behind the Galaxy (5-7-7) in MLS Western Conference standings. The teams play each other Aug. 28 at Snapdragon Stadium.
“As we evaluated opportunities to strengthen our roster for the stretch run of the season, it became clear that Hirving was the right player for the moment we are in as a club,” Kuntz said. “We have a talented group, a strong locker room, and a clear objective over these final 15 games of the season, and we are thrilled that Hirving and his family are joining the Galaxy.”
Lozano, 31, will hold a designated player tag with the Galaxy. His $9.33 million total salary ranks fourth this season in MLS behind Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi ($28.3 million), LAFC’s Son Heung-min ($11.2 million) and Inter Miami’s Rodrigo De Paul ($9.7 million).
Last season, before a fallout with the club resulted in his benching and eventual banishment, Lozano’s salary ranked fifth in the league at $7.63 million — $6 million in base salary and $1.63 million in additional guaranteed compensation.
The guaranteed pay number includes signing bonuses annualized over the length of the deal, including option years, plus marketing bonuses and agent fees.
Lozano’s contract also included a no-trade clause, which proved problematic as SDFC attempted to move him. Multiple sources told the Union-Tribune that SDFC and the Galaxy had agreed to the terms of a Lozano loan last week. The hold-up was reportedly Lozano, who had a strict no-trade clause in his contract and thus had to bless any move.
The Lozano loan amounts to a significant financial hit for SDFC, which paid a reported $12 million transfer fee to Dutch club PSV Eindhoven to get him and made him the instant face of the expansion franchise. It paid him $7.6 million last season and at least half of the $9.3 million owed this year.
This story will be updated.