Forward Mike Magee is returning to the Galaxy, the club announced Thursday. Then two hours later the club said it had also signed Ghanaian forward Emmanuel Boateng, beginning what could be a flurry of moves over the coming days.
The team opens its preseason training camp Jan. 22 and is believed to have already reached agreement on a free transfer that would bring former English national team defender Ashley Cole from Roma, although that deal has not been announced. The Galaxy has also been linked to Dutch international Nigel de Jong and Aston Villa defender Joleon Lescott.
Money may have been one of the things holding up those moves. But the Galaxy received some salary relief Thursday when it traded its pick in Major League Soccer’s SuperDraft to the Colorado Rapids for targeted allocation money.
The signing of Magee, a free agent who played last season with the Chicago Fire, returns one of the Galaxy’s most popular players to StubHub Center, where he won two MLS Cups. Terms of the deal were not released.
Magee, a 13-year MLS veteran, was traded to the Fire in 2013 for the rights to sign Robbie Rogers. Rogers helped the Galaxy to one league title while Magee won a league MVP award. Injuries limited Magee to 29 games — and seven goals — the last two years.
For his career, Magee, 31, has played in 286 MLS games for the New York Red Bulls, Galaxy and Fire. He’s been particularly effective in the biggest games, scoring six goals in 10 playoff appearances for the Galaxy in the 2011 and 2012 postseasons.
“Mike has shown that he is one of the most versatile and effective players in our league,” Bruce Arena, the Galaxy’s coach and general manager, said in a statement. “He is familiar with our club and will be a key part of our team on and off the field.”