LA Galaxy lands Mathias Jorgensen to restore glory to their defensive line | OneFootball

The LA Galaxy announced the acquisition of Mathias "Zanka" Jorgensen, a player who will no doubt bring stability and maturity to this team in hopes of replicating its success from 2024. At 34 years of age, this Danish defender comes into the team with a contract up to 2026 and boasts a career comprising 520 club matches, besides the experience gained from Europe's top leagues. His arrival signals a strategic decision in this transitional moment for the MLS Cup champions.

Experience that makes a difference

Jorgensen is not only a defender with a big résumé, but he is also a leading figure on and off the pitch. He knows the level of demands in competitive leagues, having played in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Eredivisie, and a few others. In recent years, he expressed consistency playing for Anderlecht in Belgium's first division, where an experience that solidified his tag as a reliable defender.

Aside from his club career, Jorgensen earned 37 caps for Denmark, including at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2020 and 2024 Euros.

A defense in transition

The LA Galaxy finished 2024 with the best defense in the league, anchored by the leadership of Maya Yoshida and the consistency of Emiro Garcés. However, the big changes in the defensive lineup make Jorgensen's arrival even more relevant. With Yoshida out of contract and Jalen Neal transferred to CF Montréal, the Galaxy needed an experienced piece to fill the void in their defense.

Will Kuntz, the general manager of the club, underlined the importance of Zanka in this context: "Zanka's quality and experience will be a great addition to our group as we prepare to compete in multiple competitions next season." This clearly means the Galaxy is thinking outside of MLS, with ambitions to shine in international tournaments.

Challenges and expectations for 2025

Still, notwithstanding all the great possibilities of Jorgensen, there is some question mark regarding his arrival. First, he is already 34 and will need to show he still can take care of the MLS pace. Preseason will be essential to see him adapt to the style of play and to head coach Greg Vanney's demands.

The other challenge will be his integration with Garcés and the rest of the defenders in the squad. The Galaxy will have little time to adjust this new defensive system before the season opener on February 23 versus San Diego FC, which will be a litmus test for a defense that-with all its talent-will require cohesiveness if the level displayed in 2024 is to be maintained.