The holidays are upon us and Galaxy fans rightly have a substantial wishlist after a 2025 season that left much to be desired.
Let’s go over the top-five items on my wishlist that I hope to see delivered at Dignity Health Sports Park before the start of next season.
1. CONCEDE LESS GOALS
It doesn’t take Greg Vanney making his list and checking it twice to know that the LA Galaxy need a LOT of help in the defensive department. They conceded a joint-record 66 goals in league play alone in 2025, making their need for defensive reinforcements glaringly obvious.
This item has thankfully already been delivered in the form of 2022 MLS Defender of the Year, 2025 DOTY finalist, and 2025 Supporter’s Shield champion Jakob Glesnes. His championship-caliber experience, tactical flexibility, and leadership ability make him a perfect partner for the second fastest player in the world, Emiro Garcés (yeah, THE WORLD. Garcés was recorded at 23.54 mph, just slower than the world’s fastest player Kylian Mbappe’s top speed of 23.61 mph and faster than 2nd place Micky Van de Ven’s 23.23mph).
Should Maya Yoshida stay, Zanka find his feet (or the door) in his second season, and Chris Rindov continue impressing, the LA Galaxy will have one of their stronger center back rotations in some time. Puig’s return will also support their cause as more ball possession for their team will leave fewer chances for the backline to defend
2. SCORE MORE GOALS
The LA Galaxy put the ball in the back of the net just 46 times in 2025 (not including the own goals from Maya Yoshida, Julian Aude, and Miki Yamane). That represents the club’s worst showing in front of goal since 2017, besides the shortened 2020 season.
The return of Riqui Puig will definitely be a gift that helps massively in that department, but the feeling remains that there is still plenty of space under the tree for another gift or two to fully satisfy the team’s needs up top.
3. SIGN (or develop) a STRIKER
Santa’s next gift might come in a striker-shaped box.
Free agent Christian Benteke is a forward at the top of the list for many clubs. Unfortunately for wishful G’s, Benteke is one of sparingly few high-value strikers that the league has to offer.
With so much demand for his signature, it might be difficult to convince Benteke to part with his DP status and salary.
However, the prospect of living in Los Angeles and joining one of the league’s most impactful players in Riqui Puig and a bonafide legend of the game in Marco Reus as the Galaxy make another title push might just be enticing enough to lure in any striker, Benteke or otherwise.
Fans might also find their gift looks awfully familiar to 2025 Botafogo loanee Matheus Nascimento. The club is apparently still in discussions with Nascimento’s parent club, who are asking $7 million to make Nasty Nasci’s signing permanent. LA is instead reportedly looking to secure a one-year extension on the 21-year-old striker’s loan.
If Nascimento can stay healthy he would likely thrive as the nine in a Puig-led version of Vanney ball.
Dejan Joveljic, the last striker to play in front of Puig, feasted in 2024, scoring 15 goals and making 5 assists in the team’s championship run.
Nascimento impressed with his football IQ and link-up-play abilities in 2025, looking much more advanced than Joveljic did in his first year as a G. Should Nascimento be given the same time to learn how to play and score with Riqui Puig feeding him that Joveljic was given, the Galaxy could very well find themselves with a striker well-worth a multi-million dollar fee.
It is worth mentioning that Joveljic played second-fiddle to Javier Hernandez during his learning period. Nascimento might also benefit from having a starting striker in front of him to take off the pressure while he develops, but that could mean an investment too rich for Will Kuntz’s blood.
With salary cap space being a famously limited asset for the Galaxy, it feels like the striker situation could be a one-or-the-other type of deal. For now, only time can tell what Kuntz (and Santa) determine as the right gift for the Galaxy’s front line in 2026.
4. BRING BACK BRUGMAN
A player who would likely need much less convincing than Benteke to join and make a Galaxy fan’s wish come true is 2024 MLS Cup champion Gaston Brugman. He is currently a free agent in search of a new club after his contract with Nashville SC expired at the end of last season.
He had the opportunity to show a different side of his game as part of a less possession-dominant side last year. Nashville relied more on Brugman’s ability to play a pass over distance and he seemed happy to oblige, completing 68 long passes in 24 appearances, more than twice the 31 long passes he completed with the Galaxy in 2024.
Brugman seems to be getting better with age as he also made the most key passes in his MLS career with 25. He’ll turn 34 in September, 2026, but has proven to still have heaps of value.
Seeing Brugman return to the club would be a Christmas wish granted for fans and Riqui Puig alike, as the Spanish and Uruguayan midfielders share a fantastic relationship on-and-off the pitch. Puig publicly lamented Brugman’s departure at the end of the 2024 season. An easy (and relatively affordable) way for the Galaxy front office to keep their star man happy lies in bringing one of Puig’s besties back to the team.
5. I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO HAVE FUN
As silly as it may sound, vibes are a vital yet often overlooked part of a championship locker room.
The difference in energy from 2024 to 2025 was palpable to even the least engaged fan. Sure, it’s always easier to smile when things are going the team’s way and the wins are rolling in, but a championship winning side will have the camaraderie to lift each other’s spirits and drag themselves out of the inevitable rough patches.
The locker room suffered as key leaders on-and-off the pitch were forced to move elsewhere and a Riqui Puig-shaped hole left a vacuum. Marco Reus became the leader on the pitch for a fleeting moment, but his chill and laissez-faire attitude did little for the team’s energy. Diego Fagundez did his best to bring that fire and did so successfully at times, but that flame struggled to last for one reason or another.
Puig’s return to the field and locker room will bring an immediate boost in 2026, but the team must prevent another painfully slow start like they had last year to avoid falling in the same self-doubt trap.
All I really want is a team that has fun (and wins) together. Isn’t that why we play and watch this sport in the first place?
Don’t forget the true meaning of the sport and the holidays: bringing loved ones together to share the good times. Enjoy your time with your friends and family G’s. I look forward to enjoying a new season at Dignity Health Sports Park with all of you in 2026.
PHOTO: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images, Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
The post LA Galaxy’s Wishlist appeared first on Los Angeles Sports Nation.