TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Re-signed
LAFC have officially re-signed forward and captain Carlos Vela as a Designated Player through the 2023 MLS season, the club announced Tuesday.
Vela was out of contract at the end of June. His extension comes on the heels of LAFC, early Supporters’ Shield leaders, signing both ex-Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale and ex-Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini to Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) deals as they ramp up for a trophy push.
“Carlos has been an integral piece of LAFC’s success on and off the field since the beginning,” co-president and general manager John Thorrington said in a release. “Carlos has proved that he is one of the top players this league has ever seen, and we are thrilled to have him continue to lead our club as we attempt to win more trophies this season and beyond.”
Vela, LAFC’s first-ever signing, was the 2019 Landon Donovan MLS MVP after a 34-goal, 15-assist season – the single-best season in league history production-wise. The 33-year-old was plagued by injuries over the last two years, but has returned in 2022 to be their leading scorer under first-year head coach Steve Cherundolo.
“Los Angeles is a special place for me and my family. This is our home, and I am excited to continue my career here at LAFC,” Vela said. “My goal is to win the MLS Cup with LAFC, and I will work hard to achieve our goal, and I expect to continue to achieve great things for the club, my family, our fans and the city of Los Angeles.”
Vela helped lead LAFC to the 2019 Supporters’ Shield and an appearance in the 2020 Concacaf Champions League Final. He has a combined 102 combined goals and assists (63 goals; 39 assists) in 101 MLS regular-season appearances
“We are ecstatic to continue working with Carlos at LAFC,” head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “He is a fantastic player and leader, and frankly, he has been and always will be an important member of the LAFC family.”
Before coming to MLS, Vela played across Europe for Premier League side Arsenal, LaLiga side Real Sociedad and more. He played at the 2010 and 2018 FIFA World Cups for Mexico, having scored 19 goals in 72 appearances for El Tri.
