Gyasi Zardes was traded to the Columbus Crew in exchange for Ola Kamara late on Friday.
By Ivan Yeo
The LA Galaxy are bidding farewell to one of its longtime players.
The Galaxy on Friday made a big trade with the Columbus Crew, as they acquired Ola Kamara from the Crew, and the Galaxy are sending Gyasi Zardes and $400,000 on Targeted Allocation Money.
“We are very excited to bring Ola to Los Angeles,” said LA Galaxy Head Coach Sigi Schmid. “He has been one of the league’s most productive forwards during his two seasons in MLS and we believe he will be a great fit in our attack. We look forward to him joining our squad.”
The move ends a five-year stint for the Hawthorne native. Zardes came through the Galaxy academy and spent four years at Cal State Bakersfield. After struggling in his first year, Zardes broke out in his second full season with the club, scoring 16 goals during the regular season and scored a goal in the 2014 MLS Cup final against New England as the Galaxy won the MLS Cup, its third in four years and fifth overall in franchise history. Zardes performance that season earned him a spot on the US National Team for its January Camp. Zardes however could not replicate his 2014 success with the Galaxy, as he scored a combined 14 goals over the next three seasons.
“We wish Gyasi all the best in Columbus and we are very appreciative of his efforts on and off the field for the LA Galaxy,” said LA Galaxy President Chris Klein. “Gyasi was an incredible part of this organization and a role model for many in the Los Angeles community.”
In return, the Galaxy get Ola Kamara, who since joining Columbus has been a force in MLS. Joining the Crew as a Discovery Player, Kamara arrived in Columbus after various stops in Europe in 2016 and immediately broke out, scoring 16 goals. Kamara bettered his scoring output the following season with 18 goals, leading the Crew to the Eastern Conference Finals. Internationally, Kamara has made nine appearances for the Norwegian National team, debuting for his country on Oct. 11, 2013. Two standout MLS seasons earned Kamara a recent call-up to his national team, as he appeared for Norway in two November 2017 friendlies against Macedonia and Slovakia.
The trade capped off a busy Superdraft day. Holding the second pick, the Galaxy selected Tomas Hilliard Arce from Stanford. Hilliard-Arce, 22, joins the LA Galaxy after four years at Palo alto, where he led the team to three straight NCAA National Championships in his final three seasons with the school. He was named First Team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in each of his last two years with Stanford and was a MAC Hermann Trophy finalist in his senior season. In 87 career appearances for Stanford, he scored 13 goals and added five assists.
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