Is Real Betis attacker Rafael van der Vaart on his way to MLS?
The 33-year-old Dutchman is weighing an opportunity to join MLS according to Spanish outlet Marca.
Among the clubs reportedly interested in the former Tottenham and Real Madrid star are Sporting Kansas City, New York Red Bulls and Columbus Crew SC. Van der Vaart is expected to make his decision within the next week.
This isn’t his first time considering a move to the US. He was in talks with Sporting Kansas City last year. Interest reportedly waned between the two sides due to economic reasons.
"It wouldn't make sense for us,” manager and technical director Peter Vermes told The Kansas City Star at the time. “No disrespect to him, but it doesn't make sense for the kind of numbers we're talking."
When contacted by MLSsoccer.com, Sporting Kansas City confirmed that the team no longer has a discovery claim on van der Vaart.
Van der Vaart joined Betis last summer and before that enjoyed a three-year stint with Hamburger SV for a second time, scoring 16 goals in 79 appearances. Prior to that, he had one of his most productive stints at Tottenham, where he made 63 appearances for 24 goals. He started his career at Ajax in 2000 and moved onto Hamburger SV and then Real Madrid.
He represented the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup, starting in three group-stage matches until Arjen Robben returned from injury.
