LAFC picks up short contract option on Carlos Vela

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles FC has picked up its short-term contract option on former MLS Most Valuable Player Carlos Vela. Vela was the first player signed by expansion LAFC, and the Mexican forward had one of the most dominant seasons in MLS history in 2019. He scored a record 34 goals and 49 points while LAFC won the Supporters’ Shield. But injuries have dramatically limited Vela’s effectiveness in the past two seasons. He scored only four goals while appearing in just seven games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, and he made only 15 starts for LAFC this year, scoring five goals.