Galaxy signed Home Grown Player Jose Villarreal

The Galaxy have signed one of their Home Grown Player targets, 18-year-old midfielder Jose Villarreal He's in his first season in the Galaxy Academy after helping Pateadores, a south Orange County club, to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-17/18 title in July.

Villarreal (Inglewood/Leuzinger HS) was part of the U.S. under-23 national team's camp last month in Germany and has played for the U.S. under-18 team.

“He has a tremendous amount of promise and potential, and we’re excited that he’ll be able to continue his development with the first team,” Klein a former Galaxy midfielder who is senior director of the club's academy program, said in a news release.

Villarreal, in the same release: “It’s been my dream ever since I was little to be a professional soccer player, so to be able to do that and stay close to home so that I can play in front of my family and friends is a dream come true. Growing up here in the area, I’ve always watched the Galaxy and been a fan of the team, so this will be a great experience for me.”