With ‘Chucky’ Lozano on way out, where could he land and what can SDFC expect in return?

When San Diego FC announced that it intended to part ways with star forward Hirving
“Chucky” Lozano, it was the answer to a question that had lingered since before the
team’s season ended.

And now, the big question is: where will Lozano go? And what can SDFC get in exchange?

There are a number of options. He could be sent to a needy MLS club, or one that thinks he could be the missing piece to a championship. Another option is an overseas transfer.

Under this scenario, Lozano’s rights would be sold or loaned out to a foreign soccer club, perhaps one in Europe or Mexico, where deep-pocketed owners wouldn’t be likely to balk at paying upward of $6 million a year for a 30-year-old forward who’s dynamic when healthy. Bur he also has a history of hamstring issues and is known for a questionable attitude in the clubhouse.

SDFC isn’t likely to recoup what they paid to get him, given the club’s openness about cutting ties, but Lozano still is a valued commodity. Here’s a look at the market for the Mexican star.

Trade within MLS

Soon after SDFC announced that it intended to send Lozano elsewhere, a report from
Spanish-language sports tabloid Diario AS emerged stating that Lozano could be shipped off to Atlanta United FC, which in November rehired ex-Mexican national team coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino.

Martino, who led United FC from 2016-18, served as head coach of Mexico’s national
team from 2019 to 2022. Lozano has played on the national team since 2016.

In addition to the years of familiarity between player and coach, Atlanta also is looking to bounce back after being one of the worst MLS clubs in 2025. In a trade, the team might be willing to part with midfielder Miguel Almirón, whose salary is very similar to Lozano’s, but whose contract expires in 2027, a year earlier than Lozano’s.

Almirón, 31, contributed six goals and seven assists in 31 appearances for Atlanta in 2025.
By comparison, Lozano, 30, had nine goals and 10 assists in the regular season. The
comparable salaries would make a player swap, perhaps with cash or draft picks thrown in, relatively simple to accomplish.

Other MLS teams that could be interested in Lozano are the two Texas clubs, Houston
Dynamo FC and FC Dallas. Each has a sizable Latino fanbase and bringing in Lozano – who
scored the winning goal for Mexico in a 2018 World Cup upset against the then-reigning champion, Germany – could help galvanize the fans.

Houston, in particular, could use a boost, as it had the second-worst record in the Western
Conference last year and was in the bottom third in attendance in the league, averaging about 17,700 fans per match. That’s far less than the roughly 28,000 that San Diego drew in its debut season.

Transfer to Liga MX

Lozano was born and raised in Mexico City, so it’s natural to think that a team in Liga MX, Mexico’s equivalent to Major League Soccer, might be willing to acquire him.

Despite MLS and Liga MX being two different leagues based in different countries, player
transfers between the two are quite common, and happen several times each year. Such trades aren’t governed by a single set of transfer rules, but by individual club negotiations.

San Diego can negotiate a transfer with a Liga MX club just as it would a trade with an
MLS franchise, as long as the parameters don’t break either of the leagues’ laws or regulations.

Thus far, according to reports, one club showing interest in Lozano is FC Pachuca, but with the intent of having him play for one of its overseas franchises.

Overseas transfer

The Spanish-language sports outlet AS Mexico reported Tuesday that San Diego FC and
Liga MX side FC Pachuca have had talks, with the plan being to bring Lozano to Pachuca-
owned Real Oviedo, a poorly performing team in Spain’s La Liga soccer league.

Lozano has experience playing in Europe. He came to San Diego FC in 2024 after his rights were sold to the organization following a year with Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.

“Pachuca’s intervention could be a win-win for all parties,” AS Mexico reported. “Lozano
would return to European soccer, the Mexican national team would have one of its key figures
competing in one of the world’s premier leagues, and San Diego would find a landing spot for a player they no longer want.”

A current sticking point, however, is salary. Lozano signed a four-year contract worth about
$12 million with San Diego prior to the 2025 season, and in the first year, he earned a base
salary of $6 million, according to MLS data.

AS Mexico reported that all parties would need to be flexible when it comes to the
financial parameters of such a deal.

“The biggest hurdle is Lozano’s high salary,” the report stated. “The player will have to lower
his financial demands, while the MLS club must also show flexibility to facilitate his exit.”

Whatever scenario eventually unfolds – MLS trade or transfer to another league – it’s likely to
take days or weeks to fully unfold, as SDFC does its due diligence and weighs its options.