Los Angeles Galaxy get a good friend in Rob Friend

September 21, 2013; Carson, CA, USA; Los Angeles Galaxy fans in attendance cheer against the Seattle Sounders during the first half at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy continued to make moves and acquire new players, and today, they signed European pro and Canadian international striker Rob Friend. At the age of 32, Friend has spent seven years in Germany, one season in the Dutch Eredivisie and five years in Norway. As a member of the Canadian national team, Friend has 32 caps to his credit and five goals.

“The addition of Rob Friend to our roster brings a different dimension to our attack,” Arena said of the signing. “Rob is a veteran player with a scoring pedigree and we are excited to bolster our roster by bringing him to LA.”

Friend, a native of Saskatchewan, has his biggest year in 2008-09, when he scored seven goals in 24 appearances for Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga. At Hertha Berlin, he helped that former 2.Bundesliga club gain promotion in 2011. He was initially drafted by the Chicago Fire in 2003 but turned down the offer to play for them.

But Rob Friend may not be the long-term solution the Galaxy needs. Here’s a breakdown of what Los Angeles is looking for, courtesy of MLSSoccer.com’s Matthew Doyle.

"LA Galaxy SuperDraft Picks: #14 (1st Rd), #72 (4th Rd)LA Galaxy Depth Chart (28 players):Goalkeepers (4): Jaime Penedo, Carlo Cudicini, Brian Perk, Brian RoweRight Backs (2): A.J. DeLaGarza, Oscar SortoLeft Backs (3): Todd Dunivant, Bryan Gaul, Greg CochraneCenter Backs (4): Omar Gonzalez, Leonardo, Tommy Meyer, Kofi OpareCenter Mids (4): Juninho, Marcelo Sarvas, Kenney Walker, Rafael GarciaLeft Wingers (2): Robbie Rogers, Gyasi ZardesRight Wingers (1): Hector JimenezAttacking Mids (1): Baggio HusidicForwards (7): Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, Samuel, Jack McBean, Charlie Rugg, Chandler Hoffman, Rob FriendInternational slots (2 of 7 remaining): Carlo Cudicini, Leonardo, Jaime Penedo, Marcelo Sarvas, Rob FriendLA Galaxy’s Primary Need: Backup for JuninhoTargets: Jared Watts (Wake Forest), J.J. Koval (Stanford), Joey Dillon (Georgetown), George Fochive (Connecticut), Fifi Baiden (UC Santa Barbara), Romena Bowie (VCU)LA Galaxy’s Secondary Need: PlaymakerTargets: Steve Neumann (Georgetown), Mamadou Diouf (Connecticut), Victor Munoz (UCLA), Enrique Cardenas (UC Irvine), Andre Lewis (Jamaica U-20s)"

Home/MLS