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    Best MLS XI after Gareth Bale makes LAFC transfer including Chiellini and Insigne.. with Wayne Rooney as manager

    GARETH BALE and Wayne Rooney are set to bring some more star quality to MLS.They follow in the footsteps of Lorenzo Insigne and Giorgio Chiellini, who both made high-profile moves from Serie A to the United States.
    An MLS best XI including Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini
    Bale was unveiled as an LAFC player this weekCredit: EPA
    Giorgio Chiellini has also added star quality to LAFCCredit: The Mega Agency
    Bale, 32, joined LAFC on a one-year deal and had his official unveiling on Monday – where he stated he is not ready to unwind as a player.
    Rooney is also set to return to MLS as manager of his former club DC United, where he spent two years as a player.
    The Manchester United legend is set to be unveiled as DC United manager, possibly on Tuesday, and he will add some star quality to the dugout.
    Rooney’s job in the capital could attract more attention from UK viewers, while Insigne and Chiellini could have the same effect in Italy.
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    The pair arrive at different stages in their careers but both are likely to make a big impact on their respective teams.
    Insigne has signed for Toronto FC and they will likely be fighting for silverware along with LAFC, who now boast Bale and Chiellini.
    LAFC lead the Western conference with rivals LA Galaxy fifth, despite possessing one of the best strikers in the league in Javier Hernandez.
    However, in an MLS best eleven many of the players turn out for sides in the Eastern conference – including Xherdan Shaqiri at bottom-placed side Chicago Fire.
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    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS

    Two other former Premier League players Kieran Gibbs and DeAndre Yedlin play for Inter Miami while impressive goalkeeper Andre Blake plays for Philadelphia Union.
    Atlanta United duo Thiago Almada and Miles Robinson are amongst the most impressive players in their position while New England Revolution star Carles Gil continues to impress and justify his £2.8million salary. More

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    How DC United could line up under Wayne Rooney with Man Utd legend signing Jesse Lingard and Ravel Morrison

    WAYNE ROONEY could look to bring his former Manchester United team-mates Jesse Lingard and Ravel Morrison with him to DC United.The 36-year-old is understood to have agreed a $1million-a-year contract to take charge of the MLS side.
    This is how DC United could look under Wayne Rooney with Jesse Lingard and Ravel Morrison
    Rooney has been out of a job since stepping down as Derby’s gaffer last month following their relegation to League One.
    But he is set for a swift return to management, with the Red Devils icon already in America ahead of the official announcement.
    It marks a return to Washington where he spent two years at between 2018-2020 as a player.
    Attention will now turn to who could follow Rooney to the MLS, with DC having two designated player roles to fill.
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    SunSport recently reported how Lingard could be on his way to the MLS with multiple clubs looking to snap him up.
    The 29-year-old is a free agent following his release by Manchester United.
    He has been linked with Premier League sides West Ham, Newcastle, and Everton, but he could be tempted to link up with Rooney.
    And he could be joined by fellow United team-mate and academy graduate Morrison, who is also currently unemployed.
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    Morrison was signed by Rooney for Derby last year, with the attacking midfielder featuring in 38 games in all competitions.
    It was the most amount of games the 29-year-old has ever managed in a single campaign, with the ex-Hammers ace chipping in with five goals and four assists.
    And having tested himself in Italy, Mexico, Sweden and Holland, Morrison could look to challenge himself in yet another country.
    Here SunSport takes a look at how DC United could line-up under Rooney in their usual 3-4-2-1 formation.
    Rafael Romo will keep his spot between the sticks having only signed for the Audi Field outfit.
    Centre-backs Donovan Pines, Steve Birnbaum and Brendan Hines-Ike will likely retain their starting spot.
    Versatile Julian Gressel will slot in down the right channel, with Sami Guediri to be deployed on the opposite flank.
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STORIES.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-gmec1d{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;height:auto;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-align-content:center;-ms-flex-line-pack:center;align-content:center;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;margin-left:calc(-20px/2);margin-right:calc(-20px/2);}.css-fh9577{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-left:calc(20px/2);margin-right:calc(20px/2);}.css-65fvqt{max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-1exhbll{box-sizing:border-box;overflow:hidden;background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;position:relative;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-bk55po{box-sizing:border-box;display:block;position:relative;margin-bottom:0;}.css-1shocxe{box-sizing:border-box;}.css-1a2irou{box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;}.css-1a2irou 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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}ROO-LLING IN IT .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Inside Wayne Rooney’s property portfolio including £25k-a-week Barbados pad
    A central midfield pairing will likely see Drew Skundrich partner Chris Durkin in the middle of the pitch.
    Lingard and Morrison would then feature in an advanced position behind top scorer Taxiarchis Fountas, who has nine goals from 11 matches in 2022 so far. More

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    Gareth Bale arrives in Los Angeles with Real Madrid legend to be presented to fans at Saturday’s derby clash with Galaxy

    GARETH BALE has arrived in Los Angeles where he will be presented to the LAFC fans ahead of Saturday’s derby clash against LA Galaxy.The 32-year-old agreed a 12-month contract with the MLS side after being released by Real Madrid.
    Real Madrid legend Gareth Bale has touched down in Los Angeles after signing for LAFCCredit: Instagram: @LAFC
    Bale will be presented to the LAFC fans for their derby clash against LA GalaxyCredit: Instagram: @LAFC
    His deal also includes the option of a further year with the Welsh winger relishing the new chapter in his career.
    And Bale has now touched down in the States for LAFC’s match at the Banc of California Stadium.
    It appears highly unlikely that the ex-Tottenham ace will feature having not yet trained with his new team-mates.
    Though the five-time Champions League winner is eligible to be involved in El Trafico.
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}GAZ-PACHO .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Bale to be at home in Wales’ World Cup hotel with Spanish restaurant on site
    LAFC shared snaps of Bale in his new surroundings on Instagram to their 563,000 followers.
    And LAFC also shared a video of Bale at their headquarters with the forward stating he can’t wait to see the fans.
    Bale said: “Hi LAFC and the 3252.
    “I’ve just arrived here in LA and I’m looking forward to seeing you at the game tonight.”

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    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS
    LAFC go into their clash against LA Galaxy sitting top of the Western Conference by two points.
    That also has them leading the Supports Shield standings as they boast four more points than the Eastern Conference’s New York Red Bulls.
    Bale isn’t the only marquee player LAFC have snapped up this summer having secured the services of Juventus legend Giorgio Chiellini.
    After a glittering career with the Old Lady, the 37-year-old has swapped Serie A for the MLS. More

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    Jesse Lingard set to fly to US for transfer talks with MLS clubs despite Everton and West Ham interest in ex-Man Utd ace

    FREE agent Jesse Lingard could be on his way to the United States after Major League Soccer teams offered ‘ground-breaking’ deals to sign him, according to reports.Lingard, 29, left Manchester United after his contract with The Red Devils ran out last month.
    Lingard became a free agent after being released by Man United at the end of JuneCredit: Getty
    Lingard has been enjoying his holiday in Miami this summerCredit: Splash
    He has been repeatedly linked with a move to another Premier League team, with West Ham, Newcastle, and Everton the main candidates vying for his signature.
    However, ESPN has revealed the attacking midfielder could be tempted by a move to the MLS.
    The report indicates Lingard, who has been holidaying in America this summer, will hear pitches from two MLS franchises who have offered ‘ground-breaking’ deals for him.
    Lingard will consider his future carefully as he seeks to break back into Gareth Southgate’s England squad ahead of this November’s World Cup in Qatar.
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    The United academy product made 231 appearances for the Old Trafford outfit, scoring the winning goal in the 2016 FA Cup final.
    He scored 35 goals and registered 21 assists, with form and subsequently nailing down a place in a competitive team a real struggle for him at times.
    Lingard experienced a purple patch under Jose Mourinho at Man United in the 2017/18 season when he contributed to 20 goals in all competitions.
    After losing his place in the team he then went on loan to West Ham for the second half of the 2020/21 season where he scored nine goals and created a further five in the Premier League.
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    BETTING SPECIAL – LATEST OFFERS AND FREE BETS FOR WIMBLEDON
    He returned to United with hopes of breaking into the first-team after his loan spell but failed to break back into the team under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the managers who followed him after he was sacked.
    The 32-cap England star played just 540 minutes of football all season, scoring twice in back-to-back games in September.
    Following a number of departures including Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba, United finally secured their first signing of the Erik ten Hag era with the £13million acquisition of left-back Tyrell Malacia.
    The club have reportedly also won the race for former Tottenham and Inter Milan playmaker Christian Eriksen, while the club’s negotiations for Frenkie de Jong remain ongoing.
    However, the club have been rocked by the news that star man Cristiano Ronaldo is unhappy at the club and wants a transfer to a team playing in the Champions League next season. More

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    Scott Vermillion, Former American Soccer Pro, Had C.T.E.

    Scott Vermillion’s family members still struggle to articulate the jumble of emotions they felt last November when they received the phone call from the doctors.Vermillion, a former M.L.S. player, had died almost a year earlier, on Christmas Day in 2020, at age 44. The direct cause was acute alcohol and prescription drug poisoning, his family said, a dour coda to a troubled life: A high school and college all-American who played four seasons in M.L.S., Vermillion had spent the last decade of his life withdrawing from his family as he struggled with substance abuse and progressively erratic behavior.Late last year, doctors at Boston University offered another explanation: After examining Vermillion’s brain, the B.U. experts told his family that he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E., a degenerative brain disease linked to symptoms like memory loss, depression and aggressive or impulsive behavior.The diagnosis gave Vermillion the grave distinction of being the first American professional soccer player with a public case of C.T.E. It was a solemn milestone, too, for M.L.S., a league that has, even in its young history, seen the consequences of the type of brain injuries more commonly associated with collision sports like football, boxing and hockey.For soccer as a whole, the finding will add another note to a small but growing chorus of concern about the health risks of playing the world’s most popular game.“Soccer is clearly a risk for C.T.E. — not as much as football, but clearly a risk,” said Dr. Ann McKee, the director of the C.T.E. Center at Boston University.A neuropathologist, McKee has found the disease in hundreds of athletes, including Vermillion.For Vermillion’s family, the diagnosis brought a sense of clarity, however small, to a life littered with questions. It did not answer everything — it simply could not, given that C.T.E. can be diagnosed only posthumously. It triggered feelings of doubt, guilt, anger, relief. But it was, at long last, something.David Vermillion at his home in The Villages, Fla., with one of his son’s jerseys.David Lawrence for The New York TimesThe specter of C.T.E. began hovering over the N.F.L. almost two decades ago, when the first cases of the disease were found in the brains of former professional football players. Since then, C.T.E., which is associated with repeated blows to the head, has been discovered in the brains of more than 300 former N.F.L. players.In soccer, though, the research and public conversation around C.T.E. and head injuries are still emerging, even as the confirmed cases mount. An English striker. A Brazilian World Cup winner. An American amateur.The former M.L.S. players Alecko Eskandarian and Taylor Twellman have been vocal about how concussions ended their careers and affected their personal lives. Brandi Chastain, a two-time Women’s World Cup winner, publicly pledged in 2016 to donate her brain for C.T.E. research.“We have to understand the gravity of the situation,” Chastain said. “Talking about concussions in soccer is not just a hot-button topic. It’s a real thing. It needs real attention.”Vermillion signing autographs after a game with the Colorado Rapids in 2000. An ankle injury forced his early retirement after the 2001 season.Rodolfo Ganzales/Allsport, via Getty ImagesLast year, leagues and tournaments around the world, including M.L.S., began experimenting with so-called concussion substitutes, which grant teams additional substitutions to deal with players with potential brain injuries. M.L.S. has joined some other sports leagues in implementing a variety of other protocols, including the use of independent specialists and spotters to assess potential concussions during games.“M.L.S. has comprehensive policies to educate players, coaches, officials and medical staffs about the importance of head injury identification, early reporting, and treatment,” Dr. Margot Putukian, the league’s chief medical officer, said in a statement. “There is always more progress to be made, and M.L.S. is staunchly committed to this important work.”The focus, though, is not only on treating concussions. In a growing effort to prevent head impacts of all kinds, players at every level are seeing more guidelines aimed at limiting headers.Head Injuries and C.T.E. in SportsThe permanent damage caused by brain injuries to athletes can have devastating effects.C.T.E., Explained: What to know about the degenerative brain disease associated with repeated blows to the head.The Dangers of Sledding: Brain injuries in sliding sports — often called “sledhead” — might be connected to a rash of suicides among bobsledders.Warning Signs of C.T.E.: An ex-N.F.L. player was found dead after his former team won the Super Bowl. His widow recounted his decline.A Study of N.F.L. Brains: In 2017, a neuropathologist examined the brains of 111 N.F.L. players. She found C.T.E. in 110.A study in 2019 by researchers in Glasgow showed former professional soccer players were three and a half times more likely than members of the general population to die from neurodegenerative disease (and less likely to die of heart disease and some cancers). Vermillion’s story, then, becomes the latest in a recent string of cautionary tales.“C.T.E. had never even crossed our minds,” said Cami Jones, who was married to Vermillion from 1999 to 2004.Vermillion started playing soccer in Olathe, Kan., when he was 5 years old. He loved the incessant movement of the game, the swashbuckling action, family members said. His coaches in elementary school, in the interest of sportsmanship, often kept him on the bench for long stretches because he would score too many goals, said his father, David Vermillion.His talent eventually earned him places on elite regional club teams and U.S. youth national teams as a teenager. It took him to the University of Virginia, where he was a third-team all-American in his junior year. It carried him to M.L.S., where he joined his local club, the Kansas City Wizards, now known as Sporting Kansas City, in 1998 at age 21.Vermillion was a high school player of the year and a college all-American.Doug Pensinger/Allsport, via Getty ImagesHis talent as a defender earned him places on several U.S. youth national teams.David Lawrence for The New York TimesBut Vermillion, a scrappy defender, never fully blossomed as a pro. He moved on to two other clubs before a nagging ankle injury forced his early retirement after the 2001 season. His career earnings in the fledgling league were meager; his father recalled his son’s salary being around $40,000 a year when he left the game.“It was a big blow,” David Vermillion said. “He spent all of his life climbing that hill, moving up, making himself a good player, and to abruptly have it end was tough.”Scott Vermillion tried to find some footing in his life after soccer. He managed a family store. He coached local youth teams. He pursued a nursing degree. But his relationships were slowly unraveling.Though Vermillion’s behavior would grow most concerning in the decade before his death, Jones said she noticed changes in him even before his career was over: He was often lethargic, which struck her as odd for a professional athlete, and frequently complained of headaches.“When I met Scott, he was a vibrant, outgoing pro athlete, super fun, a jokester,” said Jones, who divorced Vermillion in 2004, three years after his career ended, when their children were 1 and 3. “I watched him change really rapidly, and it was scary.”Over the next decade, Vermillion continued to withdraw from his family. His drinking became extreme and his behavior more erratic, family members said. He married a second time, but that union lasted only about a year. In 2018, he was arrested, accused of aggravated domestic battery after an incident with a girlfriend. He went in and out of rehabilitation programs for alcohol and prescription drugs, emerging only to insist to his family that the programs did not help him, that he was incapable of being helped.His daughter, Ava-Grace, got accustomed to him missing her dance recitals. His son, Braeden, now 22, was devastated when he missed his high school graduation.Vermillion with his children, Ava-Grace and Braeden..David Lawrence for The New York Times“He would promise a lot of things and basically just make excuses and not show up for us,” said Ava-Grace Vermillion, 20.Dr. Stephanie Alessi-LaRosa, a sports neurologist in Hartford, Conn., cautioned against drawing causal links between posthumous C.T.E. diagnoses and patterns of behavior in a person’s lifetime. She said research on the subject was still in its early stages, and that doctors were still trying to understand why some athletes got C.T.E. while others did not.“I have patients who are hesitant to get psychiatric treatment because they think they have C.T.E. and are doomed,” she said. “I think it’s important for patients to get the help they need, and if their family is concerned, get them to a sports neurologist.”Alessi-LaRossa said she thought the benefits of sports outweighed the risks, but echoed the increasingly widespread idea that heading in soccer should be restricted for youth players.In 2015, U.S. Soccer — resolving a lawsuit — announced a ban on heading in games and practices by players under 10 and created guidelines for restricting heading in practice for older players. And last year, English soccer officials released guidelines for heading, recommending professional players limit so-called “higher force headers” to 10 per week in training. (How, exactly, this should be enforced has been less clear.)Vermillion’s mother, Phyllis Lamers, contacted the Boston laboratory about having her son’s brain examined after his death. C.T.E. has four stages, the final stage associated with dementia; Scott Vermillion was found to have Stage 2 C.T.E.Vermillion’s family members said they hoped coming forward with his story could help inform families about the hidden risks of soccer.David Lawrence for The New York TimesHis family said they hoped coming forward with his story, however painful it might be to relive, could help inform families about the hidden risks of soccer. They said they regretted how hard they were on him, how they cut him off at times when his behavior became too difficult to handle. They agonized wondering if they could have done more.Ava-Grace Vermillion recalled texting her father on Dec. 23, 2020, his 44th birthday. She had not seen him in close to a year, she said, and as she prepared to head off to college in California to study dance, she said she felt compelled to break the ice.“I remember the day so specifically,” she said. “I was at work and just thought it was time I reach out to him. I hadn’t talked to him in a while. I sent him a text saying, ‘Hope you’re doing well.’ He called me back, and I didn’t get to answer. And he died two days later.”Ken Belson More

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    Gareth Bale to make Los Angeles FC debut against derby rivals LA Galaxy and set for ‘long-term partnership’ with club

    LOS ANGELES FC hope the signing of Gareth Bale will prove to be a “long-term partnership” with the star set to make his debut next month.The Welsh wizard, 32, has agreed to join the Major League Soccer club following his exit from Real Madrid.
    Gareth Bale has signed for MLS club Los Angeles FCCredit: Twitter @GarethBale11
    The forward is looking for a club to maintain his fitness ahead of the World Cup in November.
    But LAFC co-president John Thorrington believes that Bale’s stay in the States will go beyond the winter showpiece in Qatar.
    Speaking at a press conference last night, he said: “I’d love to get into specifics but, as policy, I don’t.
    “What I can tell you is that LAFC and Gareth are hoping that this is a long-term partnership and step for Gareth and his family.
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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}SCREEN SWIPE .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Watch the moment Phil Foden’s furious WAG confronts him after looking at phone
    “It was never about six months just for the World Cup. We were always talking about longer term than that. That was very clear from Gareth and his representative.
    “Obviously we expect him to be a top, top player for us and in this league, but we will do so sensibly.
    “When Gareth is looking at what he needs to do, his priority will be at LAFC, we are absolutely sure of that, but we’re not naive to the fact that he, like some other players of ours, have a World Cup on the horizon.”
    Bale is set to arrive in America over the coming weeks and is expected to make his debut for them in the derby clash with LA Galaxy on July 8.
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    Thorrington explained: “We don’t have a firm date. Our window opens in early July and that will be the first time we can register him.
    “We still have to go through immigration paperwork and things like that but we are hopeful that in the next week to 10 days we’ll be able to take care of that for him and his family, to welcome them to Los Angeles and in order for him to start to get up to speed with the group and get his fitness up.
    “The first game he would be potentially available for would be the game we have here on July 8.”
    Bale is LAFC’s second big signing this summer following the arrival of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini from Juventus.
    The ex-Tottenham man will be classed as a regular squad member rather than as a designated player outside the salary cap.
    And Thorrington has no doubts that his motives are not money-motivated.
    He added: “You don’t win five Champions League trophies, you’re not the most valuable player of recent times, if you don’t have that hunger.
    “We did our due diligence and I’m really excited about what this change of scene will mean for Gareth and his ability to focus on playing.
    “If Gareth was making this decision with a financial motive, he wouldn’t be in MLS. I think what he saw in LAFC is a unique opportunity to make a real impact.” More

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    Ex-Arsenal star Carlos Vela signs new one-year contract at LAFC after former Tottenham man Gareth Bale confirms transfer

    FORMER Arsenal youngster Carlos Vela has signed a new deal one-year deal at Los Angeles FC.Vela, 33, has been at the club since 2018 and is the side’s captain.
    Carlos Vela will stay at Los Angeles FC and team-up with Gareth BaleCredit: Getty
    Gareth Bale has officially joined LAFCCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
    He is also reportedly one of the club’s three designated players, which means they can pay him above the salary cap.
    There were rumours that LAFC were going to lose the Mexican after he said in an interview a few weeks ago: “I’m open to be here but I’m also open to leave and find another place. Football is like that.”
    However, perhaps he has been convinced to stay thanks to LAFC’s fantastic transfer window.
    They have confirmed the signing of Gareth Bale in a shock move after the Welshman snubbed a move to hometown club Cardiff.
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}GUNNERS NEWS .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus ‘£45m transfer AGREED’, Raphinha advanced talks
    The 33-year-old former Real Madrid star is the MLS club’s second marquee signing of the summer after also bringing in Giorgio Chiellini.
    The Italian legend, 37, will move to Los Angeles after his deal at the centre back’s contract at Juventus expired.
    Their new signings should only strengthen their grip on top spot in Western Conference.
    LAFC are forming a team full of stars and Vela is already a MLS hero having played for the club 116 times scoring 73 goals and registering a further 33 assists.
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    He won the MLS golden boot and league’s player of the year award in 2019.
    That was the same year the club won the Supporters’ Shield, the trophy given to the team who tops the league before the play-offs begin.
    Prior to Vela’s successful move to the MLS he played 64 times for Arsenal netting on 11 occasions after signing for the club when he was just 16-years-old.
    He went onto play for West Brom followed by Real Sociedad for seven seasons.
    Vela has also racked up 72 caps for Mexico winning two CONCACAF Gold Cups in the process. More

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    Gareth Bale Will Join L.A.F.C. in Major League Soccer

    Bale, who helped Wales qualify for the World Cup, will prepare for the tournament in the United States. An announcement is expected Sunday.Ever since Gareth Bale helped ensure that Wales would play in the World Cup for the first time since 1958, there has been only one question on the minds of his countrymen: For which club would he sign, and play, to prepare for the tournament?The answer arrived Saturday: After running out his contract with Real Madrid and flirting with a return to his hometown, Bale, 32, has agreed to join Los Angeles F.C. in Major League Soccer in a move that will offer him regular playing time, plenty of sunshine and as many as five consecutive months of matches to sharpen his form before the World Cup kicks off in Qatar in late November.L.A.F.C. teased an international signing on its social media accounts on Saturday but did not reveal the player. An M.L.S. official familiar with Bale’s decision to join the league, though, confirmed that an official announcement of his signing was imminent, perhaps as soon as Sunday.Any guesses? pic.twitter.com/hIx1vE967L— LAFC (@LAFC) June 25, 2022
    With his Real Madrid contract expiring this summer, Bale announced his intent to leave Spain and has been available to any team as a free transfer. A five-time Champions League winner with Madrid, which had acquired him in 2013 for what was then a world-record fee of 100 millions euros (just over $105 million), he had become an afterthought at the club in recent years, playing rarely and feuding openly with the team and its fans all while rejecting any effort to move on.Bale had flirted with a move to Cardiff City in his hometown in recent weeks before choosing M.L.S., and Los Angeles, when it came time to put pen to paper.While a return to Wales would have been a popular and symbolic — Bale was born in Cardiff — his choice of Los Angeles may better suit his World Cup preparations. M.L.S. has moved its schedule forward this season to accommodate the World Cup, ensuring Bale a steady diet of games from July through October, and then either a playoff push or a brief break before the World Cup.L.A.F.C. currently leads the Western Conference standings, and it entered Saturday with the league’s best record. Adding Bale and the veteran Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini — whose introduction is set for next week — to a team that already features the Mexican star Carlos Vela could make L.A.F.C. an M.L.S. Cup favorite this fall.Once his signing with M.L.S. becomes official, Bale could be positioned to make his debut for his new team against the crosstown Los Angeles Galaxy on July 8. That derby, known as El Tráfico in a wink at the city’s perpetual headache, has been home to major moments in the past: In 2018, the Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic entered the game, his first in M.L.S., and scored one of the most famous goals in league history.Bale’s main focus, though, will be the World Cup. Wales opens the tournament on its first day, Nov. 21. Its opponent that day? The United States. More