San Diego FC signs Mexican winger Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano in first major signing for MLS expansion team

San Diego FC has signed Mexican Hirving “Chucky” Lozano to join MLS on a four-year contract, the club announced Thursday.

Lozano, a winger for PSV Eindhoven and the Mexican national team, will be San Diego’s first designated player in its inaugural season. San Diego FC – MLS’s most recent expansion team – is expected to join the league in 2025.

According to the club, Lozano will remain at PSV Eindhoven until 2024 and join San Diego in January 2025, before the season begins in February.

“It is an honor to join San Diego FC as the Club’s first Designated Player,” Lozano said in a statement. Press release. “In every country I’ve played in, I’ve always strived to leave a mark, and making an impact in San Diego and MLS is very important to me.”

Lozano is San Diego’s biggest signing, who are paying a $12 million transfer fee to bring the 28-year-old to the United States, by The Athletic.

San Diego has already signed American goalkeeper Duran Ferree and Danish veterans Jeppe Tverskov and Marcus Ingvartsen, with many more signings expected over the next six months to fill out the roster. Other stars such as Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Spanish defender Sergio Ramos have been linked to San Diego, with reports that they are in talks to sign for the expansion team.

Lozano has received numerous honors for both club and country, being named in the CONCACAF Best XI four times (2016, 2017, 2018, 2021), whilst also winning the Dutch league Eredivisie twice (2017-18, 2023-24) with PSV and won Serie A with Napoli in 2022-23. He has 70 caps and 18 goals for Mexico, making him one of the national team’s most experienced active players.

Lozano will be officially introduced to fans and media on June 13 with a press conference at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium, followed by a fan fest.