Rob Friend (right) joined the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinalist LA Galaxy on January 13, 2014. (Photo: Mexsport)

CARSON, California -- The LA Galaxy announced Monday the signing of Rob Friend from German club TSV 1860 Munich, pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC).

A 32-year-old former Canadian international, Friend has spent his entire club career playing in Europe.  Over the course of 11 years, the 6-foot, 5-inch forward has tallied more than 75 goals across nearly 260 league appearances with eight clubs.

“The addition of Rob Friend to our roster brings a different dimension to our attack,” said LA Galaxy general manager and head coach Bruce Arena.  “Rob is a veteran player with a scoring pedigree and we are excited to bolster our roster by bringing him to LA.” 

Friend launched his career in the Norwegian second division with Moss, where he scored 16 goals in a season and a half for the club before transferring to fellow Norwegian side Molde. Playing in the Tippeligaen (Norway’s First Division), Friend scored 14 goals in 40 league games, while helping the team to the 2005 Norwegian Football Cup title. 

In June 2006, Friend moved to Holland, signing with Heerenveen in the Dutch Eredivisie.  He split the season with Heerenveen, scoring five times in 19 appearances, and fellow Eredivisie side Heracles Almelo, which he joined on loan in January 2007, scoring three times in 12 games.

After just one season in Holland, Friend signed with Borussia Moenchengladbach ahead of the start of the 2007-08 campaign. There, he enjoyed his finest season, scoring 18 goals in 33 league games, leading his side to the 2. Bundesliga crown and promotion to the German Bundesliga.  He netted 10 goals in 50 Bundesliga games for Moenchengladbach before being sold to Hertha Berlin of the 2. Bundesliga before of the start of the 2010/11 season.

In his first season in Berlin, Friend helped lead his team back to the Bundesliga, scoring five times in the league.  Friend returned to the 2. Bundesliga the following season, joining Eintracht Frankfurt for the 2011/12 campaign, and earned promotion to the Bundesliga for a third time in his career, scoring once in 13 appearances for a club that finished second in the league.

For the last year and a half, Friend has played in the 2. Bundesliga with TSV 1860 Munich, making 24 appearances and tallying five times.

In addition to his club career, Friend also made 32 appearances for Canada, scoring twice.  He made his international debut on January 18, 2003, against the United States and scored his first goal on September 4, 2006, in a 1-0 win over Jamaica.  A member of the Canadian squad at the 2007 and 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cups, Friend’s last goal for his country came May 2008 in a friendly against Brazil 

The LA Galaxy will meet Club Tijuana in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals on March 12 at home and March 18 in Mexico.