Efrain Alvarez set to leave LA Galaxy and sign for a Liga MX club

In the 2019 season, Efrain Alvarez made his debut in Major League Soccer with the Los Angeles Galaxy and emerged as one of the standout rookie players during that season. Even Zlatan Ibrahimovic went to the extent of stating that he was the "most talented player in MLS". However, things didn't unfold as expected.

According to journalist Fernando Esquivel, After spending five seasons with the first team, the 21-year-old midfielder's move to Club Tijuana was confirmed until 2026, pending a medical examination, in a bid to rejuvenate his career. The Galaxy will receive 2.25 million for Alvarez's transfer, and the MLS team retains a percentage of any future sale of the player.

Ibrahimovic even went as far as suggesting that Efrain Alvarez simply "needs more time," and that's precisely what Greg Vanney provided when he assumed leadership of the team in 2021. During that campaign, Alvarez participated in 26 matches, 16 of which he started, scoring two goals and providing three assists.

In the subsequent season, Alvarez logged more minutes and played in more matches, but he struggled to maintain consistency when starting games. His standout performances tended to occur when he came on as a substitute, and gradually, he lost Vanney's confidence in the following seasons. To the extent that this year, he has only participated in 10 matches, with five as a starter and five as a substitute, accumulating a total of 375 minutes on the field.

The 21-year-old midfielder has been unable to score goals or provide assists in the limited games he's played with the Galaxy and hopes to find a new opportunity in Liga MX. Miguel Herrera might be the coach who can tap into Efrain Alvarez's potential and help him regain the form that had impressed Ibrahimovic four years ago.