Club career
GuadalajaraCarlos Vela's career started with Guadalajara, alongside his brother Alejandro Vela. After winning the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship with Mexico and finishing as the top scorer with five goals, Jorge Vergara, owner and president of Chivas de Guadalajara, offered to sign him. Since Vela's family lived in the then-recently-storm-stricken Cancún, Quintana Roo, he asked that the club help relocate them as a condition of his signing. Vela had previously shown his great affection to his father, whose birthday fell on the day on which Mexico beat Brazil in the final of the U-17 World Cup, by carrying the cup to his father and dedicating his Golden Boot to him.
Arsenal
Vela attracted interest from a number of European clubs, and eventually Arsenal won the race for his signature in November 2005 on a five-year deal for a £125,000 fee that rose to £550,000 after he played 50 first-team games. However, since English work permit restrictions for non-EU citizens prevented him from playing in England, Arsenal quickly loaned him out to Celta de Vigo in February 2006, but was returned right away with no games played.
Salamanca (loan)At the end of the season, Vela was sent to Spanish Segunda División club Salamanca, on loan for the 2006–07 season.[6] He would have a successful stay there, creating many of Salamanca's 53 goals, eight of which he scored himself.
Osasuna (Loan)After his loan spell with Salamanca ended, bigger clubs of La Liga, such as Levante, Osasuna and Almería were all interested in taking him on loan from Arsenal for whom he was still ineligible to play as he still had yet to receive a work permit. Eventually, a one year loan move to Osasuna was agreed, with the option of an extension for another year. However, no permanent option had been contemplated.[8][9][10] On 31 October 2007, he scored his first goal with Osasuna, in a match against Real Betis, a performance that went on to earn several plaudits from the Spanish press.
Return to Arsenal
On 22 May 2008, Vela was granted a work permit that allowed him to play in England. Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger confirmed that Vela would be involved with the first team in the coming season and that he predominantly views Vela as a striker in the Eduardo mould.
West Brom (Loan)
On 28 January 2011, Vela joined West Bromwich Albion on loan until the end of the 2010–11 season. He made his debut on 1 February 2011 in a 2–2 draw against Wigan Athletic playing 58 minutes of the game . He scored his first goal coming in as a substitute for the Baggies in his third match for the club with a 92nd minute equaliser against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 20 February 2011. Vela once again scored for West Brom in the dying minutes of a game against Stoke City to salvage a 1–1 draw yet again after coming on as a late substitute.
Real Sociedad (Loan)
Arsenal have announced that Carlos Vela will spend this season on loan in Spain at Real Sociedad - subject to a medical.
