David Beckham’s Inter Miami held ‘preliminary talks’ with Gareth Bale ahead of Los Angeles FC move

Gareth Bale came close to joining David Beckham’s Inter Miami this summer, before his whirlwind move to Los Angeles FC.

Before signing for the Los Angeles side, the Welshman reportedly had ‘preliminary talks’ with Inter Miami, which is owned by another former Real Madrid star in Beckham.

Getty

GETTY

The club placed him on their MLS ‘discovery list’ but could not agree personal terms with the five-time Champions League winner, the Miami Herald reports.

Players are placed on the ‘discovery list’ if a team is interested in signing them, meaning they can then secure the rights to make a move for them.

MLS teams may sign players on another team’s “discovery roster”, but the team that currently has the player on their roster will have the opportunity to make an offer to them.

In this case, LAFC had to acquire Bale’s priority discovery rights from Inter Miami after he was placed on their roster in exchange for $75,000 in 2023 General Allocation Money.

In another MLS oddity, the club signed the Wales superstar in a deal using Targeted Allocation Money, meaning he won’t be counted as a Designated Player (a rule allowing MLS clubs to register up to three players outside their salary cap).

Ironically, it was dubbed ‘Beckham’s Rule’ after it was first used when the superstar moved to LA Galaxy in 2007.

Getty

@GarethBale11

But his new club MLS could not complete a move for the former Southampton and Tottenham striker, who instead decided to move on to Galaxy rivals LAFC.

After his transfer was completed, Bale said: “I am extremely excited for this move to LAFC.

“It’s the right place for me and my family and the right time in my career, and I can’t wait to start working with the team and prepare to win more trophies in Los Angeles.”