It’s official. One of the Galaxy’s top scorers will be playing for another team when the 2025 MLS Regular Season is underway. Dejan Joveljic has been moved to another Western Conference squad. He will now be playing for Sporting Kansas City.

The 25-year-old was acquired over the weekend in exchange for $4,000,000. This transaction marks the first ever cash-for-player trade in MLS history.The Los Angeles Galaxy are losing one of the league’s most accomplished strikers and Sporting Kansas City is gaining a youthful and experience champion.

Joveljic joined the LA Galaxy in 2021. He scored twice and recorded two assists in his debut season. The next year, his ten goals during the regular season helped the team qualify for the postseason.During a historic 2024 season, Joveljic netted 15 goals with five assists. In the first five games of the year, Joveljic scored in each contest

“Dejan has proven himself to be a top striker in our league, and his legacy will be forever etched in Galaxy lore after capping an historic 2024 MLS Playoffs by scoring the game-winning goal in last year’s MLS Cup Final.” Will Kuntz, GM of the LA Galaxy

His performance during the playoffs not only solidified the Galaxy’s spot in the MLS Cup Finals, but Joveljic’s game winner gave the franchise their record sixth championship. Had he remained with the team, the former Anderlecht star could have moved up from eighth to sixth on the all-time scorers in LA Galaxy history.With Joveljic gone and Riqui Puig out for a significant amount of time, the pressure for last year’s newcomers Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec has increased. Of the four players to log ten goals or more, they are the only two remaining.

The move may come as bit of a shock. However, with multiple contracts, players and dollars tied up in other players, Kuntz was not confident a long-term deal could be agreed upon with Joveljic. He is currently on the last year of his deal.As the Los Angeles Galaxy has been one of the more active teams this off-season, another move may be imminent as the team looks to defend their MLS Cup title. They are the last franchise in the league to win back-to-back titles (2011 and 2012).

The LA Galaxy will travel to Kansas City to play Joveljic’s new team on Sunday, May 4. The two teams will have their rematch in Carson, California on Saturday, September 27.