LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles FC has loaned high-scoring forward Diego Rossi to Fenerbahçe in Turkey’s top division.
The MLS club announced the move Wednesday to part ways with the winner of last season’s Golden Boot as the league’s top goal-scorer.
The 23-year-old Rossi has been a key part of LAFC since the franchise’s inaugural season in 2018. The Uruguayan joined LAFC as its second designated player and promptly scored the first goal in franchise history during a win at Seattle in its inaugural game.
Rossi recorded 44 goals and 21 assists while appearing in 103 matches for LAFC. He leads the team with 8,766 minutes played and 99 career starts, and he led MLS during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season with 14 goals in 19 games.
Although he was an MLS All-Star last month at LAFC’s Banc of California Stadium, Rossi has just six goals in 19 games this season, and his departure will spur an apparently necessary retooling of LAFC’s roster. The 2019 Supporters’ Shield winners are 11th in the 13-team Western Conference at 6-9-6, their worst start to an MLS season.
Rossi’s departure for Europe has been rumored since his first year at LAFC. Fenerbahçe finished second in Turkey last season, and it will participate in the Europa League’s group stage this season.
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