LA Galaxy Miss Dejan Joveljic and His Scoring Bad This Year | OneFootball

The defending MLS Cup champions (4-8-16) have looked far from winners during the 2025 MLS regular season. In fact, they have only been winners four times in their 28 games so far.

With problems on defense and goalkeeping this season, the LA Galaxy find themselves at the bottom of the MLS Western Conference standings. They are on pace to miss the playoffs for the second time in three years.

The Los Angeles Galaxy have allowed 56 goals in 2025. However, their offense has been lacking as well. As a team, the Galaxy have only scored 33 times (-23 goal differential).

This goes to show how vital Dejan Joveljic was to the LA Galaxy.

Gabriel Pec is the leading scorer for the LA Galaxy this season. He has six goals as his teammates Joseph Paintsil and Marco Reus have five each. That's 16 goals combined between all three stars.

Dejan Joveljic scored 15 goals in 2024 for the Los Angeles Galaxy. He has since been traded to Sporting Kansas City, another team near the bottom of the MLS Western Conference standings.

Sporting Kansas City v New York City FC | Fernando Leon/ISI Photos/GettyImages

Joveljic has more goals in 2025 than the LA Galaxy's top three scorers. Last weekend, the 26-year-old Serbian forward found the back of the net for the 17th time this season. Unfortunately for him and his new team, it came in a losing effort as Sporting lost 2-1 against Austin FC.

While Joveljic was not going to solve the deficiencies and shortcomings of the LA Galaxy's defense, his scoring would have absolved a good portion of those. Joveljic's replacements, veteran forward Christian Ramirez (four goals) and newcomer Matheus Nascimento (two scores), have not filled the shoes he left behind.

Of the LA Galaxy's 69 regular season goals, Joveljic accounted for 21.74% of them. One out of every five goals was scored by their former forward. This season, he has accounted for 38.63% of Kansas City's scores.

Sporting Kansas City v Los Angeles Galaxy | Ronald Martinez/GettyImages

Could Joveljic return to the LA Galaxy?

Joveljic was traded last winter as he was set to be a free agent after this season. For $4 million, the Los Angeles Galaxy gave the forward's services to Sporting KC. Kansas City gave Joveljic a three-year Designated Player contract that is valid through the 2027 season, in addition to having a club option for 2028.

Under team control by Sporting for at least two more seasons after this one, the former LA Galaxy star isn't going anywhere. If Joveljic returns to his original MLS anytime soon it would be as an opponent.

A historic 1-0 loss robbed the six-time MLS Cup winners of a victory as Sporting won without taking a shot attempt. An own goal from captain Maya Yoshida doomed the Galaxy in that match. The LA Galaxy hosts Sporting Kansas City in two weeks at Dignity Health Sports Park.