Gareth Bale, the captain of Wales, has decided to sign a free transfer to Los Angeles FC of the MLS. After nine years with Real Madrid in Spain, Gareth Bale, 32, is now a free agent. The five-time Champions League champion had been linked to a transfer to Cardiff as well as a return to Tottenham Hotspur. LAFC have yet to officially confirm the deal, but Bale tweeted on Saturday saying: "See you soon, Los Angeles".
Following LAFC's acquisition of Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini earlier this month, Bale will join Real Madrid for a then-record cost of £85 million. If Wales didn't make it to the 2022 World Cup, there were rumours that Bale might retire from playing. The main uncertainty around Bale's future was which club he would join after Robert Page's team secured their spot in Qatar by defeating Ukraine in their World Cup play-off final earlier this month.
There were rumours that Bale would choose to sign with Cardiff, and this week, his agents confirmed that they had spoken with the Championship team.
Bale could have continued working closely with Wales' medical and fitness personnel while on club duty because Cardiff and the Football Association of Wales share a training facility.
However, he is moving to the Major League Soccer (MLS), whose season lasts from February to October and whose secondary transfer window opens on July 7. With 19 regular-season games remaining, LAFC, who are coached by former USA international Steve Cherundolo, are presently leading the MLS' Western Conference.