Perry Kitchen lasted less than two years in Europe, returning to MLS on Tuesday by signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy. To acquire the defensive midfielder’s league rights, the Galaxy completed a trade with Kitchen’s previous MLS team, D.C. United, by relinquishing $300,000 in allocation money ($200,000 targeted, $100,000 general).
Although Kitchen was a free agent when he departed after the 2015 season, MLS rules allow the most recent team to maintain his rights if it had made an offer to re-sign him.
Kitchen, who turns 26 next month, played five years for United, starting 155 league matches.