Gareth Bale Has Joined Los Angeles FC

The Welsh superstar was unimpressed by a pre-World Cup stint with Cardiff City and will instead complete his move to the United States next week.

Los Angeles FC has agreed to terms with Welsh forward Gareth Bale to join Major League Soccer after leaving Real Madrid.

Cardiff City anticipated he would be enticed by the idea of playing in Wales ahead of the World Cup, but negotiations with the free agent never progressed.

According to Telegraph Sport, Wales captain Bale has agreed to go out with his representation this week to become LAFC’s largest ever acquisition.

Bale, 32, was a free agent after his Real Madrid contract expired this summer and had spent the previous two weeks discussing his options with his wife.

Since its inception in 2018, the club has prioritized signing younger players over big-name veterans nearing the end of their careers.

On the other hand, Bale is set to join Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini as the club’s second marquee signing. Bale and Chiellini would be eligible to make their debuts against the Los Angeles Galaxy on July 8.

Wales qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 64 years, and the Welshman has received offers from clubs all over the world to continue his career.

He wants to be in peak condition for the tournament in Qatar, which begins in November, and Wales’ qualification has put any plans for early retirement on hold.

Cardiff had been monitoring Bale for months in the hope of luring the major star, who was a world record signing in September 2013 when he left Tottenham Hotspur for Real Madrid in a deal worth £85.3 million.

This summer marked the end of a nine-year tenure in which he won five Champions Leagues, three La Liga titles, and three Fifa Club World Cups.

However, his final few years were difficult, with his first-team opportunities limited due to a strained relationship with former manager Zinedine Zidane. Bale was on the verge of joining Chinese club Jiangsu Suning in July 2019.

He returned to Tottenham on loan for the 2020/21 season, scoring 16 goals in 34 appearances before returning to Real Madrid.

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