CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy supplemented their defensive depth on Tuesday with the signing of 26-year-old Bradley Diallo from USL affiliate Galaxy II.
Diallo joins the Galaxy after spending three seasons with Los Dos, making 46 appearances for the club and helping the team reach the postseason each year. In 2016, Diallo made just five appearances after suffering a preseason ACL injury that sidelined him for wide stretches of the year.
The Frenchman appeared in four of the Galaxy’s five games this preseason and should provide plenty of added depth along the back line this year according to Galaxy head coach Curt Onalfo.
“He’s an excellent defender who can play center back and left back, and in a pinch play right back as well, but really he is a true central defender and left-sided defender. He provides very good cover for us,” Onalfo, who coached Diallo for three years with Los Dos, said. “He’s someone that has been in our system, and we helped bring along. He was positioned very well before his injury last season to get moved to the first team, but it just took a little bit longer because of his injury situation. He’s an incredible addition and adds depth to our backline which is important.”
Onalfo hailed the former Los Dos stalwart for his “unbelievable discipline and mental toughness” while also describing him as one of the team’s top defenders in 1v1 situations. Central defender Daniel Steres, who starred with Diallo during Galaxy II’s run to the 2015 USL Championship game, stated that he has faith that the Frenchman can make the jump to the next level.
“He’s a physical lock down defender. It’s tough to beat him, and you can put him out there, and he’ll get the job done defensively. He’ll add to the depth in the backline that we have,” said Steres. “As a left back, he’s a lock down guy; you know that he can lock down that side and you won’t have to worry about it. In the middle, he’s a ball winner similar to Jelle [Van Damme], and he’s good in the air. He’s a good presence on both sides.”
