MILAN, ITALY - AUGUST 17: Nigel De Jong of AC Milan in action during the TIM Cup match between AC Milan and AC Perugia at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on August 17, 2015 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

LA Galaxy have reportedly signed Dutch midfielder Nigel De Jong

According to reports in the LA Times, the LA Galaxy have bolstered their midfield with the signing of Nigel De Jong. The Dutch midfielder was last with AC Milan after being sold to the Italian club for a reported fee of £3.5 million.

The 31-year-old midfielder began his career at just 18 with famous Dutch side Ajax after spending nearly a decade with the club’s prestigious youth academy. Like most other Ajax academy products in this era, De Jong moved on to bigger things when he signed a four year contract with Hamburg in 2006.

After three years in the Bundesliga, De Jong was purchased by Manchester City for £18 million to bring some much needed steel to the Citizens’ midfield. He performed just as the club expected and helped steer them to an FA Cup title in 2010-11 and a Premier League title 2011-12. He was deemed surplus to requirements and was sold to the suddenly cash-strapped Italian club in 2012.

Despite signing a three year extension with Milan in 2015, De Jong and the club terminated his contract through mutual consent and allowed him to negotiate a deal with the LA Galaxy. He has become a bit-part player for the Rossoneri this season and has only made six appearances in all competitions so far.

The LA Times reports that he has signed a one year contract with the Galaxy that is worth $1 million, to be paid for through the club’s targeted allocation money. If he performs well then the club has the option to give him a more lucrative contract that a Designated Player receives after Steven Gerrard retires at the end of the season and frees up that spot on the roster.

The Dutch midfielder is most known for his crunching tackles in the 2010 World Cup Final but he has shown that he is much more than that. Though he is not scared of a physical challenge, De Jong has also shown a goalscoring touch in the past, having scored 28 goals in his career which is a decent return for a defensive midfielder.

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MLS is a physical league and De Jong should have no trouble fitting in to his new surroundings. He joins fellow European veterans Ashley Cole, Robbie Keane, and Steven Gerrard in Los Angeles as he will look to help the Galaxy win yet another MLS Cup title. The club has yet to officially confirm the deal but according to the LA Times the deal is all but done.