San Diego FC rewards Luca Bombino with multi-year extension

San Diego FC made a long-term commitment to one of its foundational pieces Thursday, announcing a contract extension for defender Luca Bombino that keeps the 19-year-old with the club through the 2028-29 season, with club options for 2029 and 2030.

The extension is the latest step in a rapid rise for Bombino, who joined San Diego FC on loan from LAFC ahead of the club’s inaugural 2025 MLS season and quickly established himself as a regular starter in the backline. San Diego exercised its permanent transfer option in November, and Thursday’s move further embodies the club’s belief in Bombino as a cornerstone of its sporting project.

“From the day he arrived, Luca has shown a strong work ethic and a willingness to improve,” SDFC sporting director Tyler Heaps said in the club's statement. “He has consistently demonstrated quality, professionalism, and an understanding of our identity as a club. We see Luca as an important part of our sporting project, and this extension reflects the trust we have in Luca, both as a player and as a person.”

Bombino originally arrived in San Diego on Feb. 25, 2025, on a season-long loan from LAFC in exchange for a 2025 international roster slot, with San Diego holding a permanent transfer option. At the time, the 18-year-old was viewed as a promising but relatively unproven prospect, despite his extensive academy background and youth international experience.

By the end of the season, he had become much more than that.

Bombino made 32 appearances across all competitions during the 2025 campaign, starting 30 matches and logging significant minutes in league play, Leagues Cup and the MLS Cup Playoffs. He finished the season with two goals and three assists, including five playoff starts and an assist during San Diego’s postseason run.

In MLS regular-season play, Bombino appeared in 26 matches and logged 2,122 minutes, scoring once as San Diego leaned heavily on the young defender’s consistency and versatility. He also found the scoresheet in Leagues Cup, scoring once in two appearances.

That level of contribution prompted San Diego to exercise its permanent transfer option on Nov. 18, acquiring Bombino from LAFC in exchange for $200,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money. LAFC retained a future sell-on and trade percentage and could receive up to an additional $900,000 in GAM if certain performance-based incentives are met.

Bombino’s path to San Diego began years earlier in the LAFC academy system. The Saugus, California native joined the Black & Gold’s academy ahead of the 2018 season at the U-12 level after previously playing with FC Valencia. He progressed through the club’s youth ranks before signing with LAFC2 of MLS NEXT Pro in 2023, where he made 32 appearances over two seasons.

In September 2024, Bombino became the sixth academy product to sign a Homegrown contract with LAFC, though first-team opportunities were limited before his move south.

Internationally, Bombino has continued to build his résumé alongside his club success. He earned five caps with the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team in 2025 and represented the United States at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, making two appearances in the group stage.

For San Diego FC, locking in Bombino through the end of the decade provides stability in a backline that took shape quickly during the club’s debut season. For Bombino, the extension represents both a reward for a breakout year and a clear runway to continue his development at the MLS level.