After finishing his contract with Real Madrid, the Welshman Gareth Bale is close to closing his signing for Los Angeles FC of the United States MLS, according to local media reports.
An unofficial report from the MLS website revealed that Bale, 32, “is finalizing an agreement” to play for one year at Los Angeles FC, the franchise led by Mexican striker Carlos Vela.
According to ESPN, the agreement would only be for the remainder of this year with the option to renew it for the 2023 season and Bale could make his debut after the opening of the next MLS transfer window on July 7.
Just one day later, LAFC hosts Mexican Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández’s Galaxy in the Los Angeles derby.
The debut with LAFC of veteran Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini, who also arrives on a free transfer from Juventus, is also scheduled for those dates.
Earlier this month, Bale said goodbye to Real Madrid after winning 18 titles, including three Spanish leagues and five Champions Leagues, since 2013.
Since his departure from the Spanish team, there has been speculation about a possible signing of the winger by Premier League teams, such as Tottenham or Newcastle, or with a return to Wales to play with Cardiff in the second category of English football.
At the end of the year, Bale is set to lead the Welsh team in the World Cup in Qatar between November and December, after having played a key role in qualifying.
LAFC has rebounded strongly this season after missing the playoffs last year for the first time since 2018, the season in which it joined the league.
The team led by Carlos Vela, who is also negotiating his renewal to continue in Los Angeles, leads the Western Conference with 30 points in 15 games in pursuit of the first title in its history.
