San Diego FC was officially announced as the latest MLS expansion team in 2023, with the 2025 season being their first in the top US soccer league. Because of this, head coach Mikey Varas finds his team as the 66/1 outsider to pull off one of the biggest shocks in soccer history by lifting the MLS Cup.
San Diego is joined by fellow Western Conference side FC Dallas as rank outsiders. Online betting expert Gavin Beech explains that betting Texas or San Diego teams already means you will get good odds, but the wide selection of markets and incentives offered by offshore operators can help fans get better value for money.
Despite not being fancied by the experts, this could work in favor of the former men's US international team's interim manager, Varas. He will be able to enjoy a relatively pressure-free season in comparison to other managers.
This will give him the freedom to play his favored 4-3-3 formation and allow him to run the rule over his roster and determine what changes, if any, he has to make for the following season.
San Diego's big signing for the season is Mexico international Hirving Lozano who joins from Dutch side PSV. This was Lozano's second stint at PSV after a successful spell at Napoli where he helped the club win the Serie A, becoming the first Mexican to do so in the process.
The talented winger became the club's first designated player and cost around $12 million. The club has also recruited players with MLS experience for their first season in the top flight, including Andres Reyes, Jasper Loffelsend, and Anibal Godoy.
Former Manchester United, Sunderland, and Middlesbrough defender Paddy McNair brings a lot of experience to the back line, and the Northern Ireland international will be key to how they can perform.
While Lozano will sit on one wing, the addition of Anders Dreyer from Anderlecht will provide balance on the other. The Danish star joins Jeppe Tverskov and Marcus Ingvartsen to bolster the Scandinavian nation's contingent on the West Coast of America.
The 6ft 1" Ingvartsen is likely to be a key player up front for the team, and he can expect decent service from the wingers around him.
Perhaps the most exciting news for San Diego fans, and a potential move that would be on the same scale as Messi joining Inter Miami are the reports linking Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne with a move to the club.
De Bruyne has been instrumental in Manchester City's recent domestic and European success. The club's recent poor run of form has seen manager Pep Guardiola facing pressure that he won't be used to, and there has been talk of a change in personnel.
Kyle Walker has already moved on with AC Milan snapping up the defender on loan, and De Bruyne could be next to exit the Manchester club. It has been widely reported that he would prefer a move to the US and the 33-year-old could be in line for an incredible move.
He has been linked with a move to San Diego for some time, with stories circulating in October of last year. A glamour opening tie against reigning MLS Cup champions on the 23rd of February gives the club lots of time to add new faces, and De Bruene would be a massive coup.
While 33 is relatively old for a soccer player, you just have to look at the longevity of players like Andrea Pirlo to understand how valuable he could be. Intelligent players who can read the game and spray passes about won't need the same engine as a younger player, and De Bruyne certainly has those attributes.
