TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Trade
- LA receive: João Klauss
- STL receive: $2.375 million
The LA Galaxy have acquired striker João Klauss from St. Louis CITY SC, the clubs announced Tuesday.
In exchange for the 28-year-old Brazilian, St. Louis receive $2.375 million in a cash-for-player trade.
Klauss will occupy a Designated Player roster spot, which opened after LA placed Riqui Puig on the Season-Ending Injury List following his second ACL surgery. The Galaxy's other two DPs are Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil.
“João has established himself as a fierce competitor and great teammate, and we are excited to welcome him to the group,” said LA Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz.
“We look forward to benefiting from the leadership and tenacity he has displayed during his time in MLS as we prepare for the upcoming season."
New start
Klauss scored a club-record 27 goals in 85 appearances for St. Louis after arriving as the club's first-ever Designated Player ahead of their 2023 expansion season.
He had previous stints in the German Bundesliga (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), the Belgian Pro League (Standard Liège and Sint-Truidense V.V), Finland's top flight (HJK Helsinki) and the Austrian Bundesliga (LASK).
“Klauss has been an important part of the club and gave our fans unforgettable memories, especially during that first season,” said St. Louis sporting director Corey Wray.
“He represented CITY SC and this city with passion and will always be part of the history of this club. We thank Klauss for his enormous contributions and wish him nothing but success in the next chapter of his career.”
“While we did not plan to make this move ahead of the season, this was an opportunity that made sense for both Klauss and the club, especially with his contract expiring at the end of the season," Wray continued.
"The funds we receive give us meaningful flexibility, and we’re excited to reinvest into the roster as we continue to build and improve the squad over the upcoming transfer windows."
LA's 2026 MLS campaign starts on Feb. 22 against New York City FC (7 pm ET | Apple TV). They'll also compete in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.
St. Louis kick off the MLS season on Feb. 21 when hosting Charlotte FC (2:30 pm ET | Apple TV).
READ MORE: MLS Transfer Tracker
