LAFC announced today that the Club and defender Walker Zimmerman have agreed to a new four-year contract using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM). Zimmerman will remain with LAFC through the 2022 campaign.
“Walker has emerged as one of the top center backs in MLS, and we are incredibly pleased to agree to a new, long-term deal that will keep him in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future,” said General Manager and EVP of Soccer Operations John Thorrington. “He is entering the prime years of his career, and I know I share our supporters’ excitement in looking forward to his continued contributions in Black & Gold for years to come.”
In 2018, Zimmerman started in all 26 matches he appeared in for the Black & Gold, playing the full 90 minutes in all but two regular season matches. The 25-year-old, currently taking part in U.S. Soccer’s annual January camp, was initially acquired by LAFC via a trade with FC Dallas on December 10, 2017.
The Lawrence, GA native led the Club with three game-winning goals last season, including back-to-back victories over the Colorado Rapids (10/6) and Houston Dynamo (10/12). Zimmerman also registered his first-ever multi-goal game during the 2-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on September 22.
“I could not be more excited to continue my career with LAFC and build on what the group accomplished in our first year,” added Zimmerman. “I would like to thank the Club for wanting me to be a part of the future here in Los Angeles, and I can’t wait to get started again.”
In six seasons in MLS, Zimmerman has seen action in 115 regular season games (97 starts), registering 11 goals and two assists in 8,888 minutes. A former first-round selection (7th overall) out of Furman University, Zimmerman spent his first five seasons with FC Dallas, appearing in 89 MLS games, while helping the club win the Supporters’ Shield and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2016.
Since 2013, the 6-foot-3 center back has played in 141 matches across all competitions for FC Dallas and LAFC, including MLS regular season (115), Audi MLS Cup Playoffs (7), Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (14) and CONCACAF Champions League (5).
On the international stage, Zimmerman has four caps with the senior team, tallying his lone goal during the USMNT’s 3-0 win over Bolivia on May 29, 2018. Zimmerman also served as the U-18 captain at the 2011 Milk Cup in Northern Ireland and was named the 2010 U.S. U-18 Team MVP at the Tel Aviv, Israel Tournament.
TRANSACTION: Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) and defender Walker Zimmerman agree to four-year deal using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM).
