Galaxy Sign Young Brazilian Trio on Loan From Sao Paulo
The club announced the signings today.
The three are:
*21-year-old left back Alex (full name (Alex dos Santos Cazumba)
*20-year-old central midfielder Juninho (Vitor Gomes Pereira Junior)
*21-year-old central defender Leonardo (Ajose Leonardo Ribeiro da Silva)
The three apparently stick together.
They were on the Sao Paulo team that won a trophy at the 2007 Dallas Cup, defeating Real Madrid and Chelsea en route to the title. They were also all on loan earlier this year with Toledo in the First Division of the Brazilian Paraná Championship.
They all trained with the Galaxy for two weeks in October.
Here's more on each of them from the Galaxy press release:
Juninho is the youngest of the three players joining the Galaxy, not turning 21 until early next month. A quick and creative central midfielder, he has been at Sao Paulo since March 2004. Good with the ball at his feet and capable of striking the ball from set pieces, he was a member of Sao Paulo 's U-17 Paulista Championship side in 2006.A big, quick and athletic left-sided player, Alex joined Sao Paulo in December 2005 after beginning his career with Mirassol FC. Capable of playing at left back or in the midfield, he helped Sao Paulo finish second in the Brazilian Under-20 league in 2007 before making his debut with the Brazilian Under-20 National Team in June 2009.
Rounding out the group is Leonardo, a central defender who has been with Sao Paulo since the age of 13. A former member of the Brazilian Under-16 and Under-17 National Teams, Leonardo is a tall, physical presence who is good with the ball at his feet and strong in the air, thanks in large part to his 6-foot-2 stature. He has won U-15, U-17 and U-20 Paulista Championships with Sao Paulo and was a part of the club's Campeonato title in 2008.
The three will be added to the Galaxy roster once they receive their visas and other paperwork.
Products of Sao Paulo's youth system have included Adriano, Denilson, and Kaka.
Good to see the Galaxy not only getting younger, but perhaps introducing a little flair.
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Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
YES, YES, and YES!
Santa delivered from the south this year. I am happy, greatest gift package for the team and the fans for Xmas. When does the season start again? Can't waite.
I can see all the other teams shaking in their boots now. Gotta love what Bruce is doing.
PS - I hope the stupid league let's them go with their first names on their shirts. They can't play like Brazilians otherwise.