LA Galaxy have sold winger Gabriel Pec to Brazilian club Cruzeiro for a club-record fee of approximately $12 million, with performance-related add-ons potentially pushing the total to $13.5 million. For a league that has historically been on the buying end of South American talent, this is a meaningful moment: an MLS club just set its own transfer record by selling a player back to Brazil.

Pec, 25, joined Galaxy from Vasco da Gama in January 2024 for around $10 million. He is leaving for more.

How the deal came together

Cruzeiro made an initial approach of $8 million in June 2026, which Galaxy turned down. The Brazilian club came back with a stronger offer, and the two sides agreed on the $12 million fixed fee structure shortly after. Pec is expected to undergo his medical in early July 2026 before signing a five-year contract with Cruzeiro.

Vasco da Gama, the club that developed Pec before selling him to Galaxy, retained 30% of his economic rights. That clause means Vasco will collect roughly R$21.7 million from this transaction, including solidarity payments.

What Pec meant to LA Galaxy

Pec’s two-and-a-half years in Los Angeles were, by almost any measure, a success. He arrived as a relatively unknown Brazilian winger and left as an MLS Cup champion. Galaxy won the title in 2024, with Pec earning the league’s Newcomer of the Year award along the way.

What this means for MLS and Galaxy’s transfer strategy

Galaxy acquired Pec for $10 million, developed him into an MLS Cup winner, and sold him for more. Galaxy rejected an $8 million bid, negotiated up to $12 million, and now hold capital that can go toward roster upgrades heading into the second half of the MLS season.

Cruzeiro, for their part, are making an aggressive push in the mid-year transfer window. Signing a 25-year-old MLS Cup winner on a five-year deal suggests the Brazilian club sees Pec as a core piece, not a short-term fix.