TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Loan
UPDATE (Aug. 25) — LAFC have loaned defender Mamadou Fall to LaLiga side Villarreal through June of 2023, the club announced Thursday.
The loan will begin immediately and LAFC will retain the right to recall the 19-year-old.
Fall has 35 regular season appearances for the Black & Gold (29 starts) since signing with the southern California club in 2021 from the Soccer Institute of Montverde Academy in Orlando, Florida. However, since the arrival of Giorgio Chiellini in the Secondary Transfer Window to their already deep center back depth chart, the Senegalese native has struggled to find minutes.
“This is an exciting opportunity for Mamadou, and one that we felt was right at this stage of his career,” LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington said in a release. “He is an incredible prospect with great potential who now has the chance to develop further at a top European club. We will be monitoring his progress closely and wish him all the best with Villareal.”
ORIGINAL (Aug. 23) — LAFC are nearing a loan move for center back Mamadou Fall to LaLiga side Villarreal, according to reports from ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle and Spanish outlet Relevo.
The 19-year-old Senegalese defender is considered one of Major League Soccer’s top prospects, regardless of position, but has slipped down the Black & Gold’s depth chart as of late. Fall has started one league match since the June international break.
The Supporters’ Shield leaders added Italy and Juventus legend Giorgio Chiellini this summer, plus have Jesus David Murillo, Eddie Segura and Sebastien Ibeagha as options centrally. With Fall, LAFC are five-deep with starting-level choices at center back – an envious total for most MLS clubs.
Fall burst onto the scene for LAFC a season ago, and has since scored five goals and added one assist across 35 games (29 starts). He originally came to the United States when playing for Florida-based Montverde Academy, plus trained with Villareal during his youth career.
Villareal, led by manager Unai Emery, are tops of Spain’s first division two games into the 2022-23 season. They won the 2021 Europa League title and routinely finish in the top half of the LaLiga table.
The LaLiga summer transfer window closes on Sept. 1.
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