# 2016 LA Galaxy season

The 2016 LA Galaxy season was the club's twenty-first season of existence, their twenty-first in Major League Soccer and their twenty-first consecutive season in the top flight of American soccer.
The Galaxy finished the MLS regular season third in the Western Conference, but were knocked out by the Colorado Rapids in the Conference Semifinals of the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs. They also continued their campaign in the 2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League, reaching the quarterfinals before losing to Santos Laguna. The team also reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup before being knocked out by FC Dallas.
On September 8, Landon Donovan came out of retirement and signed with the Galaxy, his former club.

## Players
### Squad information

Players at the end of the season.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Nation |
| 1 | GK | Dan Kennedy | United States |
| 3 | DF | Ashley Cole | England |
| 5 | MF | Jose Villarreal (HGP) | United States |
| 6 | MF | Baggio Husidić | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| 7 | FW | Robbie Keane (DP & Captain) | Republic of Ireland |
| 8 | MF | Steven Gerrard (DP) | England |
| 9 | FW | Alan Gordon | United States |
| 10 | FW | Giovani dos Santos (DP) | Mexico |
| 11 | FW | Gyasi Zardes (HGP) | United States |
| 12 | GK | Brian Rowe | United States |
| 14 | DF | Robbie Rogers | United States |
| 15 | FW | Ariel Lassiter | Costa Rica |
| 18 | FW | Mike Magee | United States |
| 17 | MF | Sebastian Lletget | United States |
| 20 | DF | A. J. DeLaGarza | Guam |
| 21 | MF | Jeff Larentowicz | United States |
| 22 | DF | Leonardo | Brazil |
| 24 | FW | Emmanuel Boateng | Ghana |
| 25 | MF | Rafael Garcia | United States |
| 26 | FW | Landon Donovan | United States |
| 27 | DF | Dave Romney | United States |
| 31 | GK | Clément Diop | France |
| 34 | MF | Nigel de Jong | Netherlands |
| 36 | DF | Oscar Sorto (HGP) | United States |
| 37 | DF | Jelle Van Damme | Belgium |
| 38 | FW | Bradford Jamieson IV (HGP) | United States |
| 40 | MF | Raúl Mendiola (HGP) | Mexico |
| 44 | DF | Daniel Steres | United States |

### Transfers
#### Transfers in

| Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Fee/notes | Date |
| GK | Dan Kennedy | FC Dallas | Acquired in exchange for the second and third round selections in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. | December 15, 2015 |
| GK | Clément Diop | LA Galaxy II | Sign | December 16, 2015 |
| DF | Daniel Steres | LA Galaxy II | Sign | December 17, 2015 |
| MF | Jeff Larentowicz | Chicago Fire | Free agent | January 6, 2016 |
| FW | Mike Magee | Chicago Fire | Free agent | January 14, 2016 |
| FW | Emmanuel Boateng | Helsingborgs IF | Sign | January 14, 2016 |
| DF | Josh Turnley | Georgetown Hoyas D.C. United U-23 | Selected in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft with the 42nd pick. | January 19, 2016 |
| DF | Jelle Van Damme | Standard Liège | Sign | January 26, 2016 |
| DF | Ashley Cole | Roma | Sign | January 27, 2016 |
| MF | Nigel de Jong | Milan | Sign | February 3, 2016 |
| FW | Ariel Lassiter | LA Galaxy II | Sign | March 5, 2016 |
| FW | Jack McBean | LA Galaxy II | Sign | June 22, 2016 |
| FW | Landon Donovan | | Sign. Returning from retirement. | September 8, 2016 |

#### Transfers out

| Pos. | Player | Transferred to | Fee/notes | Date |
| DF | Todd Dunivant | None | Retired | October 29, 2015 |
| MF | Mika Väyrynen | | Option declined | November 20, 2015 |
| FW | Edson Buddle | | Option declined | December 7, 2015 |
| DF | Tommy Meyer | Later he signed with the Swope Park Rangers. | Option declined | December 7, 2015 |
| GK | Brian Perk | | Option declined | December 7, 2015 |
| GK | Donovan Ricketts | | Option declined | December 7, 2015 |
| FW | Charlie Rugg | | Option declined | December 7, 2015 |
| MF | Kenney Walker | FC Cincinnati | Option declined | December 7, 2015 |
| GK | Andrew Wolverton | | Option declined | December 7, 2015 |
| DF | Omar Gonzalez | Pachuca | Undisclosed fee | December 22, 2015 |
| MF | Juninho | Tijuana | Undisclosed fee | December 24, 2015 |
| DF | Dan Gargan | | Waived | February 29, 2016 |
| FW | Ignacio Maganto | | Waived | February 29, 2016 |
| DF | Josh Turnley | LA Galaxy II | Sign | March 21, 2016 |
| FW | Jack McBean | Coventry City | Loan | August 19, 2016 |
| MF | Nigel de Jong | Galatasaray | Contract mutually terminated | August 31, 2016 |

## Competitions
### Preseason

The first preseason match was announced on November 23, 2015.

### Major League Soccer
#### Standings
##### Overall

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 4 | New York City FC | 34 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 62 | 57 | +5 | 54 | |
| 5 | Toronto FC | 34 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 51 | 39 | +12 | 53 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 6 | LA Galaxy | 34 | 12 | 6 | 16 | 54 | 39 | +15 | 52 | |
| 7 | Seattle Sounders FC (C) | 34 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 44 | 43 | +1 | 48 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 8 | Sporting Kansas City | 34 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 47 | |

##### Western Conference

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | FC Dallas | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 50 | 40 | +10 | 60 | MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
| 2 | Colorado Rapids | 34 | 15 | 6 | 13 | 39 | 32 | +7 | 58 | MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
| 3 | LA Galaxy | 34 | 12 | 6 | 16 | 54 | 39 | +15 | 52 | MLS Cup Knockout Round |
| 4 | Seattle Sounders FC | 34 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 44 | 43 | +1 | 48 | MLS Cup Knockout Round |
| 5 | Sporting Kansas City | 34 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 47 | MLS Cup Knockout Round |