Usain Bolt Turns Down Two-Year Offer From Valletta FC of Malta

By Adam Kopet

Usain Bolt impressed the team management of Valletta FC when he scored two goals in his first start in a preseason friendly for the Central Coast Mariners last week.

Stephanie Brantz and Tom Hamilton of ESPN report Valletta FC, from the Maltese Premier League, offered Bolt a two-year contract to play for the European club as it builds a team to make a run in the UEFA Champions League.

Valletta FC won the 14-team Maltese Premier League last season, qualifying the team for the Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. Valletta lost in the first qualifying round of the Champions League and in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.

Malta is a small island nation of 475,000 people in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and the North African coast. Valletta is the Maltese capital.

However, Bolt has reportedly turned down the Valletta FC offer, according to Tom Hamilton. He will remain with the Central Coast Mariners and complete his trial with the club.

Bolt will not be eligible to play when the club begins official A-League play Saturday. If he is offered a contract with the Central Coast Mariners, his A-League match debut would not come until January.