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San Diego FC head coach Mickey Varas firmly closed the door on any possibility of reversing the club's decision to exclude record signing Hirving Lozano from their 2026 plans.
It has been a rough beginning to San Diego's second season in Major League Soccer. Without a win in their last six outings, the 2025 Western Conference finalists find themselves sitting 10th in the conference table. A player of Lozano's quality could theoretically help San Diego snap their losing streak, but when pressed about El Chucky's potential comeback, Varas delivered a blunt two-word answer.
"No chance," he said.
Those two words were enough for Varas to once again make clear that, on his watch, the Chucky Lozano chapter in San Diego is firmly closed.
What Happened Between San Diego and Lozano?
San Diego announced back in January that Lozano had no place in the club's 2026 setup and urged him to seek a new destination during the winter window. Lozano, who was the club's inaugural Designated Player signing, was shown the door after just one season — but what led to this outcome?
"It's not worth getting into details," Varas said regarding the matter in January. "This is a decision that was made based on an analysis of the whole year. This wasn't just one thing that happened or something that happened at the end of the year.
"There were many things that we analyzed for us to decide we don't fit together. This isn't judging us as a club or him as a player, it's simply saying that it's not a good fit and what's best for us is to continue without him."
Lozano — still under contract with the MLS club through the 2028 season — has spent all of 2026 training in isolation, separated from his teammates, as evidenced by regular updates on his social media accounts.
The rift between Varas and Lozano began to surface toward the end of last season. The Mexican international was dropped for the final regular-season match and one playoff game following a reported confrontation with the manager, stemming from a decision to substitute him at halftime in an earlier fixture. Disciplinary problems have followed Lozano throughout his career.
The relationship between the two deteriorated beyond repair, and that breakdown is widely considered the primary reason behind the current standoff.
Lozano received offers to depart the club during the winter window, but the player refused to give up the fourth-highest salary in MLS, even if it meant forfeiting the chance to represent Mexico at his third career World Cup this summer.
With Varas standing firm on his decision to move forward without Lozano, the saga looks set to drag on for months to come.
Important Summer for San Diego, Lozano
The summer transfer window presents the next realistic opportunity for Lozano and San Diego to finally part ways.
The club could certainly benefit from freeing up Lozano's DP slot to pursue a top-quality addition, and securing a new club would give El Chucky a chance to revive his career given he hasn't featured in a single minute since November 2025. However, the 30-year-old's unwillingness to walk away from his lucrative contract could persist unless San Diego is prepared to offer a significant buyout.
The player appears unfazed by the whole situation. If Lozano has already sacrificed his World Cup aspirations to protect his salary, the evidence suggests he would have little trouble continuing down this path.
On the other hand, if San Diego's poor form persists and Varas fails to turn things around, his position as manager could come under threat — particularly with the Lozano saga hanging over the team's season. Should a new manager arrive, it would not be unreasonable to think Lozano might be handed a fresh start.
This final scenario remains perhaps the least probable, meaning once again, Lozano and San Diego will be faced with a pivotal decision about their shared future this summer. The player holds all the cards, but the question remains — how long can he keep training alone before he decides he's had enough?