Report: LAFC closing in on deal for Wesley Sneijder

Wesley Sneijder is on the verge of becoming the first Designated Player to sign for Los Angeles FC ahead of the Major League Soccer team's inaugural season in 2018.

The expansion team is expected to sign the Galatasaray midfielder to a two-year contract worth $3.5 million per year, sources told Mark Ogden of ESPN FC.

Ogden adds that club officials are confident that Sneijder's arrival will signify the team's ambition to compete with the league's best once the 2018 campaign kicks off.

Sneijder, who has 12 months left on his contract with Galatasaray, is expected to remain with the Turkish team for the remainder of the year before joining his new club before the MLS season begins in March 2018.

LAFC is planning on mirroring New York City FC's preparations ahead of its inaugural season, when Andrea Pirlo, David Villa, and Frank Lampard were added to the fold in order to help the team challenge the league's best clubs straight away.

Before joining Galatasaray in 2013, Sneijder previously represented European powerhouses such as Ajax, Real Madrid, and Inter Milan.

The 32-year-old, who has won more than 100 caps with the Dutch national team, is coming off a season that saw him find the back of the net five times and set up a Super Lig-leading 15 assists.