New MLS club San Diego FC is working on its squad for the inaugural season. The Californians presented Hirving Lozano as their fourth player. The Mexican is set to play an important role
The current MLS season is in full swing and the new one is already casting its shadow. Then San Diego FC will also start in Major League Soccer. The Californians have had the go-ahead since May 2023 and squad planning is in full swing. On Thursday, the club announced the signing of its fourth player.
Hirving Lozano will join the franchise on January 1, 2025. Until then, the Mexican will remain with PSV Eindhoven, with whom he recently became Dutch champion. It was the 28-year-old Mexican’s second championship title in a row, as he achieved the same feat with SSC Napoli in the 2022/23 season, for whom he played a total of four seasons (148 games, 27 goals). The attacker was Napoli’s most expensive purchase when he moved to southern Italy in 2019. PSV, to whom Lozano eventually returned in 2023, paid around €42 million at the time.
“Face of our club “
“Signing a player of international stature like Lozano is the greatest possible endorsement of our project in San Diego,” said owner and chairman Mohamed Mansour. CEO Tom Penn also expressed his enthusiasm: “We couldn’t think of a better star to be the face of our club and represent our region.” San Diego is located in southern California around 30 kilometers from the Mexican border and has a large Mexican community.
For Lozano, the proximity to his home country is an important transfer factor: “I immediately identified with the project and am confident that we can help many young players from both sides of the border.” The 70-time Mexican international (18 goals) emphasized that it is exciting “to be part of history as we build a club that will compete for championships in the MLS”.
Lozano will be the first “Designated Player” in the club’s history – a player who is not subject to the MLS salary cap. San Diego had previously signed goalkeeper Duran Ferree, ex-Mainzer Marcus Ingvartsen and midfielder Jeppe Tverskov.
