LA Galaxy have announced the signing of former Arsenal, Chelsea and Roma defender Ashley Cole.
The 35-year-old agreed to terminate his contract at the Stadio Olimpico this month after being deemed surplus to requirements by former head coach Rudi Garcia.
He has now completed a switch to MLS, where he will link up with former England team-mate Steven Gerrard in Los Angeles.
Cole will reportedly receive a salary close to £210,000, meaning he did not need to be signed as a designated player - the method by which MLS clubs can offer contracts to certain players whose pay demands would see the franchise exceed the league's wage cap.
"Ashley is one of the world's most successful defenders and has played at the highest level of competition throughout his career," said LA Galaxy head coach and general manager Bruce Arena.
"He can provide our defence with valuable experience. We look forward to his contribution to our club this season.
"He's very fit and has a burning desire to get back on the field and prove to people that he can still play. I have a hard time believing that he won't be one of the better left-backs in our league.
"I think that the opportunity that he’s going to have in LA is going to be a good one for him, and he's going to be able to contribute greatly to our team."
Cole ended eight hugely successful years with Chelsea in 2014 when he opted to join Roma but quickly found himself on the fringes of the first-team squad, and did not make a single appearance in 2015-16 prior to cancelling his contract.
The full-back, who earned 107 senior England caps prior to his retirement from international football two years ago, had been linked with a potential return to the Premier League at injury-hit Manchester United, though manager Louis van Gaal dismissed those rumours.
Gerrard, who joined the Galaxy last January, said he was relishing the prospect of Cole's move to the United States.
"Obviously we will welcome him with open arms because he will certainly make us a better team," the former Liverpool and England captain told Sky Sports. "He is a top player."
Cole began his career at Arsenal, winning the Premier League twice and the FA Cup three times before his acrimonious move to Stamford Bridge, where he lifted another championship, the League Cup, the Champions League and the FA Cup on four more occasions, becoming the most decorated player in the history of that competition.
