LAFC loans Artem Smoliakov to FC Kharkiv

His LAFC contract runs through 2028.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 281 min read

#LAFC loans defender Artem Smoliakov to Ukrainian club FC Kharkiv Best of luck, Artem. 🔗 https://t.co/9wIAlxNbJM https Via @LAFC on X

What happened: The Ukrainian defender returns to his home country during the 2026 MLS regular season. Smoliakov joined LAFC in February 2025 on a U-22 contract.

Why it matters: Smoliakov's limited 2026 role makes this a depth move rather than a change to LAFC's regular starting group. It is LAFC's third outgoing player move in July, after Matt Evans' loan and Amin Boudri's transfer.

By the numbers: Smoliakov made five MLS appearances and played 174 minutes for LAFC in 2026.

What to watch: Smoliakov's registration and first appearance for FC Kharkiv are the next milestones.

Sources

@LAFC 2026-07-28T17:14:49.037031+00:00

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