Austin FC announced today the Club agreed to a trade with LA Galaxy. Austin receives midfielder Memo Rodríguez and up to $900,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM), including $300,000 of guaranteed 2023 GAM. The Galaxy receive midfielder Diego Fagundez, and could also receive up to $150,000 in conditional GAM if Rodríguez meets certain performance metrics.
Rodríguez joins the Verde & Black through the end of the 2023 Major League Soccer (MLS) season with options for 2024 and 2025. The Texas native began his career in the Houston Dynamo FC Academy, and signed a Homegrown contract with the club in 2014. Rodríguez made his MLS debut for Houston in 2017 and went on to make 136 MLS appearances for Dynamo FC. He contributed 17 goals and 14 assists while with Houston, and helped the club win the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Following the 2022 season, Rodríguez joined LA Galaxy, where he played 16 games (10 starts) across all competitions in 2023, recording three (3) goals and one (1) assist.
“We are happy to have Memo return to his home state of Texas to join Austin FC,” said Austin FC Sporting Director Rodolfo Borrell. “He is a talented midfielder who is going to help the team and knows the league well, and we wish him and his family a warm welcome to the community here in Austin.”
Fagundez departs Austin FC having played in 95 matches across all competitions for the Club, tallying 17 goals and 23 assists in that span. Fagundez joined Austin FC ahead of its inaugural season in 2021, scored the first goal in the Club’s history on April 24, 2021, and is Austin FC’s all-time leader in assists.
“The Club is sincerely grateful to Diego for his contributions to growing Austin FC on and off the field in the organization’s first two-and-a-half seasons,” said Borrell. “He will forever be an important part of the team’s history and we wish him all the best in the future.”
Austin FC returns to MLS play on Sunday, August 20, when the Verde & Black face St. Louis City SC away at CITYPARK. Austin is 4-1-1 in its last six (6) league matches, including three (3) consecutive MLS home wins. The team is currently in fifth place in the Western Conference with 11 regular season games left to play.
Player Details: Memo Rodríguez
Pronunciation: mem-oh rod-REE-guess
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5’8”
Date of Birth: December 27, 1995
Age: 27
Born: Wharton, TX
Citizenship: United States
Last club: LA Galaxy
How acquired: Acquired via a trade with LA Galaxy on August 1, 2023
Roster Designation: Senior
