MLS Los Angeles FC

Diego Rossi to Move to Turkish Club Fenerbahçe

Published on September 1, 2021 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Los Angeles FC News Release


The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) announced today that the Club has agreed to send Diego Rossi to Turkish Süper Lig side Fenerbahçe S.K for an initial loan period that will begin immediately.

"This is the first step in a long career in Europe for Diego," LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington said. "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."

Rossi, 23, became the second Designated Player in LAFC history when he signed with the Club in January, 2018 from Peñarol of Uruguay's Primera División. At 19-years old, he became the second youngest Designated Player in league history and immediately became a major LAFC contributor. He scored the first-ever goal in LAFC history in the 11th minute of the Club's first match against Seattle, the fastest goal by an expansion team in MLS history.

The electrifying forward earned MLS "22 Under 22" honors in his first MLS season en-route to the Club's first playoff berth and became an MLS All-Star in 2019 as he helped lead LAFC to a record-breaking 2019 Supporter's Shield winning season. Rossi became the youngest Golden Boot winner in MLS history in 2020, and was honored last season as the MLS Young Player of the Year, MLS Best XI, MLS Is Back Tournament Golden Boot, MLS Is Back Young Player of the Tournament and MLS Is Back Tournament Best XI.

A Uruguayan international, Rossi started six matches for the Under 23 squad in the 2020 Olympic qualifiers, adding a goal and an assist and was called into the senior national team for the 2020 World Cup qualifiers.

Rossi leaves LAFC as one of its most decorated players, appearing in 103 career regular season MLS matches for the Black & Gold, ranking first in Club history (tied with Latif Blessing), and making a team-high 99 starts. He also leads LAFC with 8,766 career MLS minutes played since 2018 and 144 shots on goal. He ranks second in the Club record books in goals (44) and assists (21).

TRANSACTION: The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) loans Diego Rossi to Turkish Süper Lig side Fenerbahçe S.K.

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