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Los Angeles FC brought back a player they described as a “club legend,” former MLS Most Valuable Player Carlos Vela.

LAFC re-signed Vela for the remainder of the 2024 season with a club option for 2025, they announced Monday.

“Los Angeles and the LAFC fans are very important to me and my family,” Vela said in a release. “LAFC is a special club, and I am proud of what we have built here. I am excited to return to LAFC and try to help the team achieve great things in any way that I can.”

Vela, 35, has been without a club since his previous LAFC contract expired in December.

Without him, LAFC settled into second place in the Western Conference, seven points behind the rival Los Angeles Galaxy, with seven matches to go. They have two matches in hand on the Galaxy.

“Carlos has played such an instrumental role in the success we have enjoyed at LAFC both on and off the field,” LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington said in a release. “He means so much to our club, our fans and our city. It was important to everyone involved to have him return to LAFC, and we are thrilled that he will be back in Black & Gold.”

Though the signing was announced Monday, it was completed before the league’s roster freeze last Friday.

Vela, a three-time MLS All-Star from Mexico, tallied nine goals and 12 assists in 34 appearances (23 starts) last season for LAFC. That was part of a six-year stint with LAFC in which he racked up 78 goals and 58 assists over 152 matches (127 starts).

He added two goals and seven assists in 12 playoff appearances (11 starts).

Vela’s MVP season of 2019 saw him score 34 goals, a league record that stands to this day.

Vela helped LAFC win the 2022 MLS Cup and reach the title game again in 2023, where they lost to the Columbus Crew.

–Field Level Media