June 2, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Los Angeles Football Club Adds Four Players in 2017 MLS Expansion Draft

The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) today added four new players to the Club, selecting goalkeeper Tyler Miller, forward Latif Blessing and forward Marco Ureña with the first three picks of the 2017 MLS Expansion Draft. After the draft, LAFC acquired 2015 MLS Defender of the Year Laurent Ciman in a trade with the Montreal Impact in exchange for Jukka Raitala and Raheem Edwards, the fourth and fifth selections in the draft.

A member of the Belgian National Team since 2010, Ciman, 32, has enjoyed a decorated three-year career in MLS, earning a spot on the league’s Best XI team in 2015 in addition to winning Defender of the Year. Ciman is a two-time MLS All-Star (2015, 2016) who has played and started 85 career regular games, logging 7,589 minutes and scoring two goals.

“Laurent is a top defender who provides leadership and great distribution,” LAFC Head Coach Bob Bradley said. “His experience in the league and with the Belgian National Team will be invaluable as we build our club.”

Ciman has also played for Standard de Liege in Belgian’s First Division, appearing in the UEFA Champions League while also playing for Brugge, RSC Charleroi and KV Courtai.

LAFC’s first selection in the Expansion Draft was 24-year old goalkeeper Tyler Miller from the Seattle Sounders FC. Miller served as the backup to Stefan Frei in Seattle appearing in two regular season matches since 2016, but stepped up during the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs, earning a 2-0 victory against the Houston Dynamo in the opening leg of the Western Conference Championship. Miller was drafted by Seattle in the second round of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft and also played 10 games for SVN Zweibrücken in Germany.

“So much work went into today’s draft, not just in the last 48 hours, but literally for two years as we analyzed what was on offer in the league,” LAFC General Manager and EVP of Soccer Operations John Thorrington said. “We felt very good coming on stage today with the five guys we acquired.”

With the second selection, LAFC picked 20-year old Ghanaian forward Latif Blessing, who recorded three goals and an assist in 25 appearances for Sporting Kansas City during his 2017 rookie season in MLS.

Costa Rica National Team forward Marco Ureña was selected with the third pick of the draft from the San Jose Earthquakes. A veteran of the 2014 World Cup with Costa Rica, Ureña has played in over 55 games with his national team, helping the Ticos qualify for the 2018 World Cup. In his first season in MLS, Urena scored five goals and registered three assists in 25 games. Ureña also played with Brondby IF in the Danish First Division and LD Alajuelense in Costa Rica before joining the Quakes for the 2017 season.

LAFC selected Jukka Raitala from the Columbus Crew SC with the fourth pick in the Expansion Draft and 22-year old forward Raheem Edwards from Toronto FC with the fifth and final selection before trading them to the Impact for Ciman.

Related Posts

Defensible Space, Defined: How A Plus Tree Protects Communities from Wildfire

May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025

In the wildfire-prone landscapes of the Western United States, safeguarding homes and communities requires proactive measures. A Plus Tree, a...

WeHo Pride Weekend Begins and 2025 Icons Announced: Parades, Concerts, and Community Celebration Kicks Off

May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025

Three-Day LGBTQ+ Festival Features Performances by Lizzo, Maren Morris, and Kim Petras West Hollywood is preparing to kick off its...

Palisades Village to Reopen in 2026 with Revamped Retail, Dining, and Community Spaces

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Elysewalker Set to Return With Park Reconstruction, Holiday Events, and Streetscape Upgrades Palisades Village, the open-air shopping and lifestyle destination...

Bel Air Seventh Grader Reaches Finals of Scripps National Spelling Bee

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Oliver Halkett of Mirman School Competed on Thursday for a $50,000 prize Thirteen-year-old Oliver Halkett, a seventh grader from Mirman...

(Video) Signs That Your Aging Loved Ones Are in Need of Caregiving

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

To Find Out More, Go To Safelyhomeagain.com To Find Out More, Go To https://t.co/ZCPyKHj5aq pic.twitter.com/cDTEPjfA6s — Westside Today (@WestsideLAToday) May...

Two Men Charged in Culver City Kidnapping and Robbery After Victim Forced to Withdraw Cash

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Suspects Allegedly Abducted Man at Gunpoint, Drove Him to Multiple Banks  Two men have been arrested and formally charged in...

Salt & Straw Unveils Summer Pie Series with Five Seasonal Ice Cream Flavors

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Five New Flavors Inspired by Classic Summer Pies Will Be Introduced Salt & Straw is giving summer a scoopable twist...

(Video) Interviews with Rick Caruso and Elyse Walker, with a Dennis Quaid cameo

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

We spoke at the Press Conference to announce plans to reopen Palisades Village Shopping Mall. Actor Dennis Quaid arrives to...

Levain Bakery Debuts ‘Levain à la Mode’ with Local Ice Cream Partners for Summer

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Seasonal Offering With Wanderlust Creamery is a First in Cookie Shop’s History For the first time in its three-decade history,...

Beverly Glen Sixth Grader Advances to Finals of National Student Cook-Off

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Twelve-Year-Old Heads to Virginia to Compete in K12 Culinary Competition Abijah Levy Minor, a 12-year-old student from Beverly Glen, has...

Sarah Paulson to Host Charity Bingo Night for Pasadena Humane Society on June 5

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Evening of Food, Wine, and Live Music to Raise Funds for Animal Rescue Efforts Emmy-winning actress Sarah Paulson will host...

Bay Cities Italian Deli Responds to Health Code Closure, Commits to Corrective Action

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Santa Monica Landmark Disputes Rodent Claims but Acknowledges Violations Bay Cities Italian Deli, a Santa Monica staple renowned for its...

Film Review: Bring Her Back

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

By Dolores Quintana Grief is the price of love.  Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou’s second feature film, Bring Her Back,...

County Assessor Stresses Need For Fire-Affected Households to Update Addresses to Receive Relief Checks

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Assessor’s Office Offers Automatic Tax Relief for Fire-Affected Homeowners Following the destruction caused by wildfires earlier this year, the Los...

Caltrans Schedules Public Meeting for $143.7 Million I-405 Rehabilitation Project

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Virtual Forum Set to Brief Residents on Upcoming Construction The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will hold a virtual public...