LAFC sign Cristian Tello through 2022 MLS season | OneFootball

LAFC have signed Cristian Tello as a free agent through the 2022 Major League Soccer season, with options for 2023 and 2024.

He will join the team immediately, arriving just before the MLS Roster Freeze Date on September 2.  Tello arrives after last playing for La Liga’s Real Betis, where he managed 24 goals in 172 appearances across all competitions.

“Cristian is a dangerous attacker and a great fit to what we are building at LAFC,” LAFC co-president & general manager John Thorrington said in a release.

“He has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world and has succeeded in high-pressure situations like the Champions League. We are excited to welcome him, his wife and family to LA as we continue the work towards our ultimate goal of winning championships.”

Tello also saw stints with Barceona, Espanyol B, Porto and Fiorentina during his time prior to LAFC. Internationally, he earned one cap for Spain in 2013 and featured at the London 2012 Summer Olympics.

The player now joins a stunning lineup at LAFC, working alongside Gareth Bale, Carlos Vela, Giorgio Chiellini, Denis Bouanga and Cristian Arango as the team attempts to break their 2019 points record and lift the 2022 Supporters’ Shield.

The team currently leads the Western Conference table, and stand as the first club to secure a 2022 MLS Cup Playoff spot with seven games still left to be played. LAFC returns to action on Wednesday when visiting the Houston Dynamo at PNC Stadium.