LA Galaxy may have found the perfect Edwin Cerrillo replacement in Pablo Ruiz
The last day of the MLS transfer window was CRAZY. Too many signings and departures.
However, as you may have noticed on social media, some teams are still announcing official transfers after the deadline. This is because teams are only required to submit complete paperwork before the deadline; the official announcement can come later.
That’s the case of Noah Allen and the Chicago Fire. Now, we are not here to discuss this movement, because a team found the perfect replacement for the recent departure of a solid player.
If you didn’t get it, yes, it’s the LA Galaxy with the signing of Pablo Ruiz. The Galaxy have found the replacement for Edwin Cerrillo.
LA Galaxy sign the perfect replacement after Edwin Cerrillo’s departure.
First and most important, we have to state the numbers and conditions of the deal, shall we? According to Real Salt Lake’s official website:
“Real Salt Lake announced today that it has transferred midfielder Pablo Ruiz to the LA Galaxy, also a member of the MLS Western Conference, in exchange for $400,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) for 2027.”
With that in mind, let’s examine Cerillo’s replacement. Pablo Ruiz is a natural alternative, as both he and Cerillo play the same position: central or defensive midfielder.
This allows the Galaxy to maintain their current formation, since the Argentine occupies the same position and shares similar characteristics with Cerillo.
However, one area where Ruiz provides an upgrade is in playing out from the back. Cerrillo moved the ball well with passes out wide to open up the play, and the former RSL player can do the same, but he also adds greater vision and a wider passing range, whether it's line-breaking passes or long balls, something Cerrillo rarely showed or wasn't able to execute consistently.
The other crucial factor is that the 27-year-old already has MLS experience, where he has had solid seasons, and can make a fast impact on the team - meaning that the transition is rapid and doesn’t need much coaching about the physicality and rhythm of the games.
And the last and best item of this signing is the low risk for the Galaxy. Yes, that is basically the main factor when you analyze a player’s arrival.
The LA Galaxy only paid $400.000 on GAM, and Pablo Ruiz has a one-year deal through 2026, and the club maintains the option of extending him in 2027 and the same in 2028 - leading to the thought that if Ruiz doesn’t have a good season with the Galaxy, the team won’t extend him for one more year.
With this, the signing goes from good to great, because you have a natural replacement for a crucial departure, without risking paying any money for a player who doesn’t perform well on or off the field.
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