Diego Rossi joins Fenerbahce from LAFC - Initial loan with option to buy

Diego Rossi from Los Angeles FC to Fenerbahçe is now official. The striker leaves initially on loan, but Fenerbahçe will have an option to make the deal permanent for a fee that could rise to $10 million, including all bonuses. LAFC do not expect that Rossi will return from the loan. Even though the fee is significantly below Rossi's market value, LAFC are still going to earn a significant profit. The MLS club signed Rossi for just $2.75 million from Peñarol in 2018. 

"This is the first step in a long career in Europe for Diego," LAFC general manager John Thorrington said in a club statement. "We are forever grateful to Diego for the way he helped build this Club both on and off the field from day one. To see him grow into a world-class player who will perform in the Europa League with Fenerbahçe is exciting and shows that our vision of developing talent is working."

In Rossi, the league will lose the most valuable player and one of its biggest attractions. Rossi was the second youngest Designated Player in league history when he was signed in 2018. The striker also won the Golden Boot in 2020 and was the first player in MLS history to be valued €20 million or more—Rossi's value slightly dropped in the latest update as the market for him had significantly cooled down. Nonetheless, Rossi is now the second most valuable player in the Turkish Süper Lig.