After only being announced as an expansion club in May 2023 to become the 30th team in Major League Soccer, San Diego FC has had to quickly ramp up its team building before essentially taking the field a year and a half later in 2025. this means they are on an accelerated timeline to get things done, which isn't something that is slowing San Diego down as they just announced a major signing of Mexican international and Scudetto winner Hirving “Chucky” Lozano. Lozano becomes the first designated player in club history with a contract until the end of the 2028 MLS season. With the club not joining the MLS until 2025, Lozano will remain with PSV until 2024 before coming to San Diego.
Lozano joins from PSV after winning the Eredivisie with them and scoring six goals in the league. He will move to the United States during a big football period in North America. Although Lozano won't be involved in the Copa America game for Mexico this summer, this is the kind of signing that makes sense with the World Cup coming to the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026, as he may want to return to it. the fold.
San Diego is well poised to benefit from more signings like this, but not just because of the World Cup. With executives such as Tom Penn, with whom an expansion team has already been built FC Los Angelesand connections with the academy, San Diego wants to make a name for itself in its first season by using global connections as a basis to get off the ground.
“Signing a player of international stature 'Chucky' Lozano is the greatest possible support for our project in San Diego,” said Sir Mohamed Mansour, owner and chairman of San Diego FC.
As San Diego builds their roster, it's hard not to compare this signing to another involving Penn Carlos Vela joined LAFC. Leaving Real Society Vela conquered the MLS at the time, winning an MVP and breaking the league record for goals in a season with 34, while also winning the MLS Cup with the Black and Gold. If Lozano can have even half the impact that Vela had, they could take the league by storm in their first season.
