(East Los Angeles, CA) [From The Editor’s Desk]: It’s with a good measured combination of sadness mixed with gladness as LAFC made an active player decision to send Kwadwo “Mahala” Opoku to Montreal for $1.75 million in Game Allocation Money (GAM) for the remainder of this season and then subsequently, for 2024, added another $100,000 to the Canadian franchise for the rights to add a player to LAFC’s International Roster category for next season.

With all of that MLS team transaction business now official, the Black & Gold must say farewell to one of the most popular players that ever wore an all-Black or an all-White FLEX Uniform who took great pride in representing our City as a player for the LAFC. He will be missed for his career match heroics, his true grit, unrelenting stamina, and sheer determination to bring home “key victories” throughout his time spent here.

He will also be missed for his big smile and ever-present friendly shake of the hand and a nod of gratifying approval to his teammates and his Grupo 3252 Northern End fans who roared cheers and approvals down on him whenever he made a significant play, or a score on the pitch. He was also present whenever asked to be a participant in many of the Club’s outstanding commnunity outreach events. Here is the Club’s press announcement that was issued this past week.

LAFC ACQUIRES $1.75 MILLION IN GENERAL ALLOCATION MONEY FROM MONTREAL IN EXCHANGE FOR MAHALA OPOKU

LAFC Also Acquires 2023 International Roster Spot From Montreal

The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), on July 5th, announced that they have acquired $1,750,000 in General Allocation Money ($1,650,000 in 2023 GAM and $100,000 in 2024 GAM) from CF Montréal in exchange for forward Kwadwo ‘Mahala’ Opoku.

“Mahala has been an incredible story and an important player for us over the last few years,” LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington said. “These decisions are never easy but are at times necessary. It has been great to watch him grow and develop as a player on the field and a person off the pitch. We are grateful for all of his contributions to LAFC and wish him the best of luck in his career.”

In a separate transaction, LAFC also received a 2023 International Roster slot from Montreal in exchange for $100,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money.

Originally signed on Oct. 6, 2020, from the Attram De Visser Soccer Academy in Ghana, Mahala developed into a dangerous and reliable attacker for LAFC. The 21-year-old appeared in all 34 games last season enroute to winning the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup, scoring seven goals and registering three assists. This season, Mahala has played in 19 MLS matches (13 starts), scoring two goals and recording two assists.

The Accra, Ghana native made an immediate impact for LAFC, scoring the game-winning goal late in the second half of LAFC’s 2020 Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal win over Cruz Azul. Mahala would go on to score two more goals in LAFC’s run to the 2023 Concacaf Champions League final, appearing in eight CCL matches and leaving LAFC as the Club’s third-leading scorer in the competition.

Overall, Mahala appeared in 60 MLS regular season matches (35 starts) with LAFC, scoring nine goals and registering seven assists in 3,256 total minutes and was ranked number nine on the MLS 2022 Under 22 list of the top 22 players in MLS under the age of 22.

In closing this story, we invite you to view the Team’s farewell video salute entitled, “A Part of our History: Thank You Mahala,” which you can find on the LAFC website.