LA Galaxy send MLS Cup MVP Gaston Brugman to Nashville less than a month after championship win

The Galaxy have traded a key piece of their MLS Cup winning side to Nashville, the team announced. Brugman, who served largely as a backup until the final game of the season, has been sent to the Eastern Conference club in return for Davis. Nashville will pay a portion of Davis' salary.

Brugman, 32, was in and out of the XI over the course of his Galaxy tenure. He made 12 starts last season, and tallied five assists in his third campaign with the club. He served largely as a reserve option behind Puig, who paced the Galaxy before missing the MLS Cup final with a torn ACL.

Galaxy General Manager Will Kuntz, in a statement, admitted it was a difficult decision to part with Brugman: "To maintain a championship-caliber roster in Major League Soccer, teams are often forced to make difficult contractual decisions, and today's trade is evidence of that. Gaston is a fierce competitor, an incredible teammate, and an even better person. He made countless contributions to the Galaxy on the field and in the locker room during his time with the club, and none was more important than his 2024 MLS Cup MVP performance earlier this month."

The Los Angeles club are looking to retool ahead of their MLS Cup defense. Puig is expected to lose a large portion of the 2025 season after sustaining a serious knee injury, while there is talk that standout forward Gabriel Pec could also leave.