Sprint king Usain Bolt could be making his way to Europe after being offered a two-year professional footballing contract in Malta, reports said Tuesday, with the club saying it wanted to "write history" with the signing.
Bolt, 32, has been on trial with A-League club the Central Coast Mariners since arriving in Australia in August in his bid to pursue a boyhood dream of becoming a footballer after retiring from athletics last year. He also previously tried out with clubs in Germany, South Africa and Norway to no avail.
The 100-meter world record-holder scored his first two goals in professional football on last Friday when he started a pre-season game against second-tier Macarthur South West United in Sydney.
Usain Bolt (C) playing for Central Coast Mariners takes a shot on goal during the match against Macarthur South West United in his first competitive start for the club in Sydney, Australia, October 12, 2018. /VCG PhotoMalta club Valletta FC said they had made a formal offer which includes playing in its upcoming cup final, with chief executive Ghasston Slimen saying the move to include Bolt was "about writing history".
"Usain Bolt broke the record in Beijing (Olympics) in 2008, and I have followed him for the last year-and-a-half on his football journey," Slimen said.
"We will play the final of the Super Cup on December 13, which we will win... so can you imagine Usain Bolt lifting the Super Cup trophy 10 years after he broke the record in Beijing?
"This isn't about money, this is about history. This is something that they will talk about in 50 or 100 years' time."
Usain Bolt (C) competes in his last ever race in the 4 times 100 meter final at the IAAF World Championships athletics in London, Britain, August 12, 2017. /VCG PhotoSlimen admitted Bolt still had to improve his football skills, but said he was inspired by the former sprinter's jubilant celebrations -- including the trademark lightning bolt victory pose -- after the goals.
"I don't want him to be here on holiday, I want him training hard," he said, adding that he wanted Bolt to be lifting trophies during his stint at Valletta, capital of Malta.
Bolt does not yet have a contract with the Mariners ahead of the start of the A-League season last Friday, with the club's chief executive Shaun Mielekamp saying in a statement that the Jamaican "will continue his indefinite training period until any further notice".
Media reports suggest the Mariners are waiting for governing body Football Federation Australia to decide whether it will contribute to a potential three million Australian dollars (2.1 million US dollars) offer to Bolt.