Austin FC trades midfielder Diego Fagundez to LA Galaxy

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin FC midfielder Diego Fagundez will be trading in the Verde & Black for the navy blue and gold of LA Galaxy.

The Club announced Tuesday that they have agreed to a trade with LA Galaxy. In exchange for Fagundez, senior midfielder and Texas native Memo Rodríguez will be joining the team.

Austin FC will also receive up to $900,000 in general allocation money (GAM), and including $300,000 of guaranteed 2023 GAM. The Galaxy could also receive up to $150,000 in conditional GAM if Rodríguez meets certain performance metrics.

CARSON, CA - APRIL 1: Memo Rodríguez #20 of the LA Galaxy in action during a game between Seattle Sounders FC and Los Angeles Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park on April 1, 2023 in Carson, California. (Photo by Michael Janosz/ISI Photos/Getty Image

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"We are happy to have Memo return to his home state of Texas to join Austin FC," said sporting director Rodolfo Borrell in a release. "He is a talented midfielder who is going to help the team and knows the league well, and we wish him and his family a warm welcome to the community here in Austin."

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Rodríguez joins the Verde & Black through the end of the 2023 MLS season with options for 2024 and 2025.

His MLS career began with the Houston Dynamo FC Academy, and he made his MLS debut with the Dynamo in 2017, making 136 appearances and contributing 17 goals and 14 assists.

After the 2022 season, he joined LA Galaxy where he played 16 games with 10 starts across all competitions in 2023 and recorded three goals and one assist.

KANSAS CITY, KS - JUNE 10: Diego Fagundez #14 of Austin FC during a game between Austin FC and Sporting Kansas City at Children's Mercy Park on June 10, 2023 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Fagundez has been with Austin FC since its inaugural season in 2021 and scored the Club's first goal on April 24, 2021. He has played in 95 matches, tallied 17 goals and 23 assists and is the Club's all-time leader in assists.

"The Club is sincerely grateful to Diego for his contributions to growing Austin FC on and off the field in the organization’s first two-and-a-half seasons," said Borrell. "He will forever be an important part of the team’s history and we wish him all the best in the future."

Austin FC will face St. Louis City SC at CITYPARK on Sunday, Aug. 20. The Club is 4-1-1 in its last six league matches, including three consecutive MLS home wins.

Austin FC is currently in fifth place in the Western Conference with 11 games left in the regular season.