By Justin Ruderman
LAFC has made the biggest signing in club history by bringing in Wales international star Gareth Bale. After registering 106 goals and 67 assists in 258 games for Real Madrid, Bale heads to Los Angeles on a one-year TAM contract with a six-month extension option which would make him a designated player (DP), per Paul Tenorio. LAFC will also pay $50k to Inter Miami for the player’s MLS discovery rights, per Taylor Twellman. It’s a good thing for LAFC fans that Inter Miami is sitting in 10th place in the East, otherwise, Bale might be residing in South Beach rather than Hollywood. That is not to say Bale didn’t have European offers. Getafe in Spain and Cardiff City in his home country of Wales were both very interested, but neither came close to signing the player as John Thorrington and the LAFC front office convinced Gareth Bale the city of angels was the best place for him.
One of the reasons LAFC is such a good fit for Gareth Bale at this moment is the upcoming 2022 World Cup in Qatar. As the captain who brought Wales back to the World Cup after missing out for 64 years, Bale needs to be in top form heading into the tournament in November. Over the past year and a half, he hasn’t gotten much playing time at Real Madrid due to the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti as manager which had to change, but he also didn’t want to go to a club which would be over-reliant on him and risks injury. He needed to find the perfect balance of a team who is performing well, in which he will be a locked starter, and where there are enough quality players around him that when his body needs a rest he will be given one. LAFC checks all the boxes. He will fit well seamlessly into Cherundolo’s 4-3-3 whether on the wing or up top as he has tons of experience in similar systems and he will have all the resources around him to prepare for the World Cup in the best possible way. It may not be fantastic news for USMNT fans as the USA opens their World Cup campaign against Wales on November 21st, but it is perfect for LAFC fans, and most importantly it is the right fit for Gareth Bale. Oh, by the way, the MLS playoffs take place right before the World Cup, when Bale intends to be in the best form imaginable.
While Bale has one eye on the World Cup, do not mistake this with the belief that he is not focused on winning at LAFC. If there’s one thing Gareth Bale is, it’s a winner. He has the most Champions League titles (5) of any player in MLS history. He has the most La Liga titles (3) of any player in MLS history, level with David Villa. He has the most Club World Cup titles (4) of any player in MLS history. I could go on and on. The upshot is, that Gareth Bale is one of the most decorated players to ever play in this league. He will bring the same trophy-hungry mentality to LAFC, which is further shown by the structure of his contract. As Giorgio Chiellini did, Bale signed a TAM contract, forgoing a DP contract despite being fully deserving of a DP slot. The only reason he would do this is to give the LAFC General Manager John Thorrington more room to continue to add to an already stacked roster. Bale, Chiellini, and Vela have to be the strongest “big three” in MLS history and the most amazing part is only one is a DP.
Ordinarily, the biggest story of the day would be the 18-month contract extension for Carlos Vela. After all, his contract has been the focus among LAFC fans and media since the start of the season. Of course, Chiellini took over the conversation for a few days as he should have, but as the months-long Carlos Vela contract saga finally ends, he isn’t even the main headline of the day. However, it is still a big headline that deserves some attention. I would guess part of the reason the Vela contract saga dragged on is ensuring Gareth Bale didn’t need to be given a DP slot. Regardless, It means that the “big three” are in LA together for at least a year, likely 18 months, before the LAFC front office is once again forced to make more big decisions, which again, they are still yet to be done with this season. There will be more movement both in and out of the club this summer. Expect the third DP slot to be filled soon as LAFC is going for it all this season. It is, without a doubt, MLS Cup or bust.