LAFC today 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.
TRANSACTION: LAFC acquires $1,650,000 in 2023 General Allocation Money and $100,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money. LAFC acquires a 2023 International Roster slot in exchange for $100,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money.
