Swansea City midfielder Leo Walta has joined Major League Soccer club LAFC on loan for the remainder of the 2026 season. The deal includes an option for LAFC to make the transfer permanent and is pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P-1 Visa.
Walta's departure comes as Swansea sit third in the Championship table with seven points from their opening three matches. Their recent form reads WDW, and they have scored five goals while conceding just one. The Swans are currently two points behind league leaders Charlton Athletic.
Leo Walta is a 23-year-old Finnish international midfielder who joined Swansea City permanently in July. He initially arrived on loan from Swedish side IK Sirius in February of this year. During his time with the Swans, Walta made 11 appearances in the EFL Championship, scoring one goal. He also featured in one Carabao Cup match at the start of the season.
His career began in Denmark with FC Nordsjælland, where he made his professional debut as an 18-year-old in 2021. Walta recorded five assists in 23 appearances for the Danish Superliga club. He also spent time on loan at HB Køge and Mjällby AIF during 2023. Before his move to Scandinavia, the Vantaa native developed in the HJK Helsinki youth system from age eight and later played for Klubi 04 in Finland's third division.
Walta's most prolific spell came at IK Sirius in Sweden's Allsvenskan. He scored 23 goals and provided six assists in 59 league appearances for the club. His 16 goals during the 2025 Allsvenskan campaign set a club record for the most goals in a single season. He also scored once in four Svenska Cupen matches. For Finland, Walta has earned 14 senior caps, scoring one goal and adding three assists. He represented his country at every youth level from Under-15 through to Under-21.
LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington provided two quotes regarding the acquisition. "Leo is a talented young player who has shown his quality throughout his career," Thorrington said. "His creativity, technical ability and versatility in midfield can make him another important piece of our team." He added, "We thank Swansea for their collaboration and are excited for what Leo can bring to LAFC as we continue our pursuit of trophies."
Walta's exit opens a spot in Swansea's midfield options as they prepare for their next Championship fixture. The Swans host Wrexham at home on Saturday, September 5th. Fans can track the team's upcoming schedule on our fixtures page. Manager Luke Williams now has one fewer attacking midfield option to consider for selection. The current squad details are available on our squad page.
Swansea's strong early-season defensive record, with just one goal conceded, provides a solid platform. The team's +4 goal difference is among the best in the division. Supporters can follow the latest league positions on our standings page. The loan agreement for Walta runs through the end of the 2026 calendar year.
