Gareth Bale to join LAFC — report

Gareth Bale, whose contract with Real Madrid ended this month, is set to join LAFC in the MLS, according to multiple reports. ESPN, Marca, The Athletic, and even the MLS have all confirmed the report at some point today.

Bale, 32, is looking for a club to stay match fit with until the World Cup in Qatar starts in November. This deal with LAFC will run one year — taking the player all the way until June of 2023. He will join former Juventus man Giorgio Chiellini, who LAFC also recently signed.

“LAFC are finalizing a deal to sign former Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale, sources tell MLSsoccer.com,” American journalist Tom Bogert wrote today. “Bale is a free agent after his contract with Real Madrid expires this summer. One source indicates the deal will not require a Designated Player spot, leaving LAFC with one DP spot open still. The deal will run for 12 months, through next June.”