Gareth Bale joins Los Angeles FC as Welshman follows Giorgio Chiellini to MLS side

Gareth Bale has joined MLS side Los Angeles FC on a year-long deal.

The 32-year-old had been without a club since leaving Real Madrid at the end of the season as his contract expired, initially sparking talk that he would retire from football this summer if Wales failed to qualify for the World Cup.

Bale will lead his side out in Qatar at the end of the year though, leaving him needing to find a new club, at least until the tournament in November.

Cardiff had been touted as a potential option, however Bale has made the decision to join LAFC, just a couple of weeks after it was announced that Italian veteran Giorgio Chellini was also joining the MLS side.

The move will see Bale arrival on an initial year-long loan contract, though there is the option to extend that for another 18 months.

One man who will be disappointed by the news is Football Association of Wales chief Noel Mooney, who earlier this month voiced his desire for Bale to stay a bit closer to home ahead of the World Cup.

“We are here at the Cardiff City Stadium, and the FAW is out at the Vale of Glamorgan, which is not so far,” Mooney told Sky Sports.

“So from a logistical perspective, and the FAW being selfish about it, if he did come back to this area – or anywhere nearby to be fair – we’d be delighted because we’d see more of him. The more we see of Gareth the better. It doesn’t have to be Cardiff City by the way, but if he does come back to this part of the world we’d be very happy.”