San Diego FC Stuns Soccer World with Bold Hirving 'Chucky' Lozano Move Following Wild 2025 Finale
San Diego FC will not include Mexican attacking star Hirving "Chucky" Lozano in their roster for the 2026 MLS campaign, as confirmed by sporting director Tyler Heaps on Friday.
Speaking to media during preseason preparations in California, Heaps announced that the 30-year-old forward, who arrived at the club in a $12 million transfer from PSV Eindhoven before their inaugural 2025 season, will not continue for a second year.
"We have informed Hirving and his agents that he won't be included in our sporting strategy going forward," Heaps explained. "This wasn't a choice made hastily and involved extensive discussions from ownership through leadership, myself, and Mikey Varas, and has been shared with the entire squad.
"We're collaborating with him and his representatives to identify the optimal path forward for his career."
Lozano's departure follows a disappointing conclusion to 2025, where he was sidelined for the regular season finale and the club's inaugural MLS Cup playoff encounter due to what Varas described as "an internal matter we're addressing."
Based on earlier reports from The Athletic, Lozano was unhappy about being substituted during an October fixture against Houston Dynamo, resulting in a confrontation that damaged relations between both sides.
Lozano, who earned 75 caps for Mexico's national squad, concludes his tenure with the MLS expansion franchise having recorded nine goals and 10 assists across 27 regular-season matches. The attacker was instrumental in helping the team secure the Western Conference top spot and reach the Western Conference championship game.
Anders Dreyer's Significance
Although Lozano provided immediate global recognition and marketability for San Diego FC during their debut campaign, Danish winger Anders Dreyer emerged as the team's most vital player.
While Lozano battled fitness issues, Dreyer began strongly and maintained excellent form throughout the campaign, claiming MLS Newcomer of the Year recognition and receiving MLS MVP consideration after recording 19 goals and 19 assists while featuring in all 34 regular season contests.
Dreyer's attacking significance has now taken center stage, with no comparable star like Lozano remaining in future plans. Simultaneously, once the club officially releases the Mexican forward, they'll have the opportunity to sign another Designated Player—possibly a striker—to complement Dreyer's wing threats.
"Our emphasis remains on the collective unit, focusing on building team cohesion this season," Varas stated on Friday. "We've competed in numerous matches without him in the lineup, and that squad performed exceptionally well."
San Diego FC welcome CF Montréal for their 2026 MLS season opener on Feb. 21, following their competitive debut in the Concacaf Champions Cup first round against Liga MX's Pumas UNAM on Feb. 3.