Gareth Bale will take a £27m pay cut to join Los Angeles FC after opting for an MLS switch .
The Welshman's troubled time at Real Madrid finally came to an end this summer when he left for nothing having previously been the world's most expensive player. Bale was often left on the bench as his relationship with the Los Blancos fans continued to deteriorate.
That said, Bale earned huge sums in the Spanish capital and, for a long time, has been the club's highest earner. Last term he was pocketing an annual salary of £28.8m. Now, in the bright lights of Hollywood, he will earn no more than £1.3m during his 12 month deal.
It represents a huge drop in wages for the Welshman, whose monthly salary will be just over £100,000-a-month. His deal also includes an 18-month option that would increase his salary and make him a designated player if triggered next summer, reports the Athletic.
Bale was looking for a new club as he attempts to remain fresh with Wales' World Cup bid just months away. The country has ended a huge wait to appear at the tournament, seeing off Ukraine in a play-off, and have been paired in a group with England in Qatar.
The forward, who will turn 33 in July, had several offers on the table - including a switch to his hometown club Cardiff City. A drop into England's second tier would've been a huge decision, but eventually he chose to move to the MLS.
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DC United's ownership also held talks with Bale's representatives, but were unsuccessful. The player's agent, Jonathan Barnett, was adamant that certain proposals were never going to be considered. He said they had “four or five serious offers” for him. “It could have been more but we narrowed the field for him — he wasn’t going to Italy or Spain, for example.”
Barnett also added: “He doesn’t need to play football — he’s one of the best-paid footballers of all time — but if all goes well, of course he could stay there for a while. Why not? He’ll have a great life there and he still enjoys playing. Let’s just see how it goes and it will be a two-way decision, too.”
Los Angeles FC co-president and general manager John Thorrington said on the move: “Not just on the field — and that’s the focus — but also off the field, there is real momentum with where this league is going with the World Cup coming here (in 2026). He saw this opportunity to make a real difference.”
