Soccer
TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
Charlotte FC have acquired midfielder Luca de la Torre from LaLiga side Celta de Vigo, the club announced Tuesday.
The 27-year-old US international is under contract through June 2029 with an option for the 2029-30 MLS season.
To complete the deal, Charlotte sent San Diego FC $50,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money (GAM) for de la Torre’s rights. He spent last year on loan at San Diego from Celta.
“Luca is entering the prime of his career and will bolster our midfield as he brings technical ability, experience from a top league in the world, and a knowledge and understanding of Major League Soccer,” said Charlotte general manager Zoran Krneta.
“He complements the existing players we have in our squad as he is a versatile central midfielder who connects play and excels in progressing the ball. We want to continue to be a destination for USMNT players, and Luca is another who is looking forward to playing in the Queen City.”
We can’t wait to see LDLT in CLT 🤩 pic.twitter.com/2lngi3nfGU
— Charlotte FC (@CharlotteFC) December 30, 2025
During the 2025 season with San Diego, de la Torre produced 5g/2a in 37 appearances across all competitions. He helped them set several MLS expansion club records and reach the Western Conference Final in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Before coming to MLS, de la Torre spent nearly a decade in Europe. He tallied 7g/16a in 150 matches across stints with Celta (Spain), Fulham FC (England) and Heracles Almelo (Holland).
Internationally, de la Torre has one goal in 32 USMNT caps. He made the program’s 2022 FIFA World Cup squad, in addition to featuring at the 2024 Copa América and 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Charlotte’s 2026 season begins on Feb. 21 at St. Louis CITY SC (2:30 pm ET | Apple TV). They’ve made the playoffs the last two seasons under head coach Dean Smith.
Read MoreLaine Latson