Today, LAFC announced that they had used Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) to purchase striker Mario González from the Portuguese club Sporting Clube de Braga. The international roster spot reserved for González will be filled as soon as his P1 visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC) are processed. 

Co-President and General Manager John Thorrington described Mario as a “proven goalscorer” and a “priority addition” for the team during this transfer window. As the club’s president put it, “We are excited to welcome Mario and see his qualities help deliver further success for our club and supporters.”

González, 27 years old, has signed with LAFC after playing for SC Braga for the last two seasons. The Spaniard spent the 2022–23 season on loan with Belgian Pro League A’s OH Leuven, where he scored 13 goals and added one assist in 22 appearances. While on loan at CD Tenerife in the Spanish Second Division in 2021-2022, he played in 16 games and scored 6 goals in 973 minutes. Gonzalez played for Tondela in the 2020-2021 season of the Portuguese First Division.

Nine years after entering La Liga’s Club Villareal’s development program in 2012, González made his senior team debut on August 17, 2016, in a UEFA Champions League qualification match against AS Monaco. Four times he played in La Liga, one time in the UEFA Champions League, and once in the Europa League for Villareal’s first team. In 94 total games for Villareal B between 2015 and 2019, González scored 16 goals. 

While on loan from Villareal to Clermont Foot of France’s Ligue 2, González played in 21 games and scored four goals.

González started his career with Burgos CF Youth and Atletico Madrid Youth before joining with Villarreal. González was born in Villarcayo de Merindad de Castilla la Viega, Spain. 

González has scored once in three appearances for Spain’s U-17 national team.