Gareth Bale joins LAFC on free transfer for one-year deal

Major League Soccer has quietly been able to attract enough marquee players in recent years to become a viable destination for stars, and the latest move might be the biggest one yet. Gareth Bale, the former Tottenham and Real Madrid star, is heading to LAFC on a free transfer for a one-year contract. Bale will likely be looking to use this season as a way to get back in a European league.

This is an absolute coup for LAFC, who are getting Bale on a free transfer. The forward is only 32 years old, so he’s still got plenty left to give and will now get to showcase his skills against lesser defenders in MLS. We’ll see if this strategy works out well for the Welsh star.

Bale rose to prominence at Tottenham during the late 2000s. He scored 21 goals during the 2012-13 Premier League season before joining Real Madrid. At the Spanish club, Bale was even more destructive. He tallied 106 goals in 258 appearances and was part of five Champions League titles with Real Madrid. He fell out of favor with recent management over the last few seasons but is now going to get a chance to prove he’s still one of the best players in the game.