LOS ANGELES — It has been a whirlwind several days for Carlos Vela and he still has to travel back to Spain.

“It has been crazy,” Vela said .

Finally, there’s some sort of normalcy as Vela was officially introduced as the first Designated Player for the Los Angeles Football Club.

“This is a statement that reaffirms what our club is all about,” LAFC coach Bob Bradley said. “This is the start of building a team that everyone will be proud of.”

Vela, 28, has played in Spain with Real Sociedad since 2012 and will do so until the end of the year. Then he will head to the U.S. to become the cornerstone of the new LAFC expansion team.

Vela said conversations between the sides began three-four weeks ago.

“It’s a big move, the league, I have family and I have to move a lot of things,” he said. “It is a crazy move, but it is fun. I’m so happy to be here and proud to come to this new club and to be first player. I’m excited.”

Vela, who is also a prominent member of the Mexican national team, said he had offers from clubs from Spain, Italy and England.

Vela played at Arsenal in the English Premier League from 2005-2012 and has had loan stints at Osasuna, West Bromwich Albion and Salamanca.

“I think it is the right moment to come here,” Vela said. “Because of the ambition of the team and the club is very good. The people have made me feel like this is my club, like I’m important. I’m very excited and proud to be here.”

Aside from Carlos Alvarez and Bassey Etim currently on loan with USL affiliate Orange County, Vela is the LAFC roster now. He joked that he could pick any jersey number he wanted.

“I’m at a good age, this is a good opportunity, the club is building around me,” he said. “I feel important and I want to make good history with this team.”

Vela will be the third member of the Mexican national team playing their club soccer in the U.S. The Galaxy, just a few minutes away, have brothers Giovani and Jonathan dos Santos. Vela said he conversed with Giovani before making the move.

“He said to me all the great things about the league, the city and the country,” Vela said. “I say, ‘Why not?’”

There’s no hotter topic in the U.S.-Mexico soccer region like a Mexican international player choosing to come to MLS. The criticism started from current national team coach Juan Carlos Osorio, who once said he’d rather his players find jobs in Europe.

Osorio also once stated MLS is best for a player at the end of his career, rather than “for a player who still has much to give.”

El Tri fans have also been extremely critical through social media.

Osorio has since walked back those comments, but Vela isn’t concerned.

“If I feel good, I’m good,” Vela said. “They don’t know about all the time I’ve spent in Europe, all the difficult years there, they don’t know my life. I want to be the best in the league, so I have to work hard to be one of the best.”