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Major League Baseball is set to be the next big American sport to travel to London after Sadiq Khan held talks with baseball chiefs in New York.

The Mayor was “quietly confident” following his meeting with MLB chief Rob Manfred about holding the first game at the Olympic stadium.

He was invited to throw the first pitch, an honour reserved for presidents and VIPs, at the New York Mets clash with the Minnesota Twins during his five-day trip to the US.

The MLB abandoned plans to stage a 2017 match in London in July after “time ran out” on negotiations for this season.

But City Hall aides revealed baseball chiefs have shown a “genuine willingness and desire” to hold a two-day series, probably featuring teams from New York and Boston, in 2018.

Mr Khan told the Standard: “I’m keen to make London the sporting capital of the world. I’ve been really encouraged by my discussions with the MLB. I’ve told them there are huge baseball fans in London, all around the UK and in Europe.

“The only way they can experience what we’ve experienced here today is by jumping on a plane to the USA. Wouldn’t it be great if they came to the greatest city in the world instead?”

The MLB is following the lead of American football, which has regularly hosted matches at Wembley since 2007.

One City Hall aide said: “The MLB is looking at doing this outside the US and they think London would be a great venue. Sadiq coming here and quite literally pitching for London makes a big difference.”

Meanwhile, Mr Khan was set to share a stage with former US President Bill Clinton at a major international summit in New York today. Much of the 45-minute discussion at the Clinton Global Initiative was expected to centre on Brexit, with President Clinton asking how London can remain a hub of prosperity.

City Hall insiders believe Mr Khan’s meetings with senior politicians on his tour underline his status as a potential future Labour leader. The Mayor is always careful to say he has the “best job in politics” and has no desire to look further ahead.