MLS Transfer News: Big summer signings cement LAFC as MLS Cup favorites

After opening the season as second-favorites to win the MLS Cup, the newest LA-based football club, LAFC, are now the sole favorites to lift the cup, with their odds priced at +320 at the time of writing this article. They are followed, not too closely, by NYCFC who are priced at +620 to win the MLS Cup. With the addition of Welsh International star, Gareth Bale, as well as Italian legend, Giorgio Chiellini, LAFC is poised to take home the MLS Cup with relative ease, according to oddsmakers around the world. Gareth Bale spent 8 seasons with Real Madrid, winning 3x La Liga titles alongside a staggering 4x UEFA Champions League titles during his time with the Spanish club. He also spent 7 seasons playing in the EPL for Tottenham, however, it was his years in Spain that saw his greatest successes. Although Southern California isn't completely analogous to Madrid, the differences aren't too staggering either, and he might feel somewhat at home playing in LA for a predominantly Spanish-speaking fan base. In fact, Gareth Bale has already been showing off his notorious spanish speaking abilities, greeting his new fans in a short video posted to the team's social media. LAFC was favored to win the MLS Cup before the announcement of the signings of Bale and Chiellini, and following the signings, their odds to become champions this year have unsurprisingly moved even further in their favor. Giorgio Chiellini signed an 18-month-long contract to play for LAFC, which will see him play through the 2023 MLS season. LAFC will be Chiellini's first new club in almost two decades, having played with Juventus since 2004. On-field talent aside, Chiellini's experience and knowledge of the game will surely have an effect on the whole team and further boost LAFC's chances of claiming the club's first-ever MLS Cup title. LAFC is battling with Austin FC for the top spot in the Western Conference right now, currently one point behind but with a game in hand. The addition of two European superstars should be enough to give them the boost they need to make it through to the playoffs and eventually hoist the MLS Cup, or at least that's what the bookies think. The impact that European stars have on the MLS isn't just limited to what goes on on the pitch. Off the field, betting on the MLS is sure to be positively affected by the arrival of household names that every soccer fan is familiar with. Ian Rutherford, a California-born and raised sports betting expert at UnitedGamblers.com, stated, "As a lifelong soccer fan here in the states, it's so exciting to finally see these big names from Europe's top leagues make their way across the Atlantic." "With the recruitment of these renowned European stars, the MLS is being elevated to the next level of excellence, resulting in a league that is even more entertaining to watch and even more appealing to bet on." "Betting on Gareth Bale to score anytime seems a lot more appealing and safe than betting on players who have yet to prove themselves to the same level that these battle-tested European stars have," he says. LAFC is set to continue its run at the MLS Cup when they take on Nashville on Saturday, July 17th at GEODIS Park, it's not confirmed yet whether or not Bale or Chiellini will make their LAFC debuts then.