Here’s Luke’s article where he questions Gareth Bales future after a possible Real Madrid exit
Where does Gareth Bale’s Future Lie After Possible Real Madrid Exit?
Zinedine Zidane appears determined to force Gareth Bale out of Real Madrid this summer as he continues to overhaul a squad that struggled last season. The Frenchman has already brought in Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic in order to rebuild Los Blancos’ attack, and now they need to trim their squad. Bale looks set to be an unfortunate casualty, despite boasting a phenomenal goalscoring record in Spain and helping them win four Champions League titles in six years. These are his possible options:
China
Bale’s wages form a major stumbling block for his suitors. The Welsh wizard is paid around £600,000 a week at Real Madrid and that makes him one of the world’s top earners. He joined for a world record fee in 2013 and signed an enormous contract extension three years later. Bale has told Zidane he has no intention of taking a pay cut to leave the club, so they need to find a suitor with extremely deep pockets. Two options have emerged in China, where Jiangsu Suning and Beijing Guoan are reportedly prepared to double Bale’s weekly wage to an astonishing £1.2 million per week in order to snap him up. It would be a real coup for the nouveau riche Chinese league, but it would be strange to see such a talented player waste some of his peak years playing in a competition where the overall standard is so poor. Carlos Tevez’s disastrous move to China should serve as a warning to Bale, but it nevertheless remains his most likely destination, according to the bookmakers. However in a surprising move Real Madrid blocked Bales transfer to China so this now seems unlikely in the short term
Bayern Munich
If you check out some football markets, you will see that Munich is the second favourite to become Bale’s next destination. The German champions have previously taken James Rodriguez on loan from Real Madrid after Zidane deemed the Colombian surplus to requirements, so there is a recent history of transfer dealings between the two clubs. Bayern are unlikely to be able to afford Bale’s wages, while it is hard to imagine them stumping up the £112 million asking price for the Welshman either. The players there would welcome Bale with open arms after key men Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery left the club this summer, but Bayern would need to get creative in order to sign him. They might be able to agree a long-term loan and ask Real to continue covering some of his wages, but it looks like a long shot.
Tottenham
Bale made his name at Spurs and he is still a legend among the club’s fans. He won the PFA Player of the Year award twice during his time at White Hart Lane and scored a number of screamers in big games. He would surely terrorise Premier League defenders once again with his pace and dynamism if he were to return to England, and it would be intriguing to see him make an emotional homecoming at Tottenham. However, Tottenham’s highest earner is England captain Harry Kane, who earns £200,000 a week. It is hard to imagine the close-fisted Daniel Levy paying Bale three times that amount, or doubling the club’s transfer record to sign a 30-year-old with little sell-on value.
PSG
The Parisians certainly have deep enough pockets to sign Bale and cover his wages, as the club is owned by the oil-rich nation of Qatar. They have already made Neymar and Kylian Mbappe the two most expensive players in history, and yet their hunt for the Champions League continues. Bale has proven his ability to succeed in Europe’s biggest competition – he banged in a terrific brace to put Liverpool to the sword in the 2018 final – and he could be a great signing for PSG. His reputation should not be diminished by Zidane’s decision to sell him, as he has been extremely prolific for the club. The French champions could lose Neymar this summer, as the Brazilian is trying to force a move back to Spain, and Bale could plug the gap.
Man Utd
The Red Devils desperately need some star talent within their ranks if they are to close the gap on Man City and Liverpool next season. They finished 32 points off the pace last term and they struggled at both ends of the pitch. Defensive concerns remain, but they would become a lot more dangerous going forward if they managed to capture Bale’s signature. Man Utd have just dropped to sixth on the list of the world’s richest sports teams, but they still have the financial firepower to buy Bale. They would recoup much of their investment through shirt sales around the world, and he could be the man to fire them back to glory. However, given that Man Utd have been aiming their transfer transfer policy at younger players this would be a big surprise
Liverpool
The Reds are the champions of Europe and now they are aiming to finally clinch an elusive Premier League title triumph. There are very few gaps in Jurgen Klopp’s squad and they could well be poised for a summer of inactivity in the transfer market. Yet Liverpool do look vulnerable when one member of their star attacking triumvirate misses out through injury. Bale is a very similar player to Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané, blessed with outrageous pace, great finishing ability and intelligent movement. If Liverpool were to sign Bale, it would allow Klopp to rotate his forwards throughout the campaign, helping them to thrive on all
fronts. Liverpool finished just one point behind Man City in last season’s Premier League title race because they drew too many games, and Bale has the ability to conjure up a moment of magic that turns one point into three, so he would be a great addition for the Reds. They do not need to strengthen elsewhere, so it would be fascinating to see them put all of their transfer war chest towards bringing Bale to Merseyside. However Liverpool have shown little interest in Bale to date and with Salah being their highest earner at a reportedly £200k per week this seems an unlikely destination
Inter Milan
Inter are bidding to end Juventus’ eight-year spell of dominance over Serie A by spending big ahead of the 2019/20 campaign. They have brought in former Juve manager Antonio Conte to spearhead an ambitious project, while Diego Godin has arrived to marshal the defence. They have been linked with a number of big-name transfers, but none have come to fruition yet. Inter really need to make a statement of intent, and bringing four-time Champions League winner Bale to Italy would certainly achieve that. He could blaze a trail of destruction through Serie A and it would be great to see him go head-to-head with Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo, but whether Inter could actually afford him is another matter entirely.
Stay at Real Madrid
Bale’s agent recently branded Zidane “a disgrace” for his appalling treatment of a player that has done so much for Real Madrid. Yet the Frenchman hit back, saying Bale refused to come off the bench in a friendly against Bayern and that it would be best for all parties if he moved on. Since then Bale has played for Real in a friendly against Arsenal, a game he scored in, while Marco Asensio has suffered a horrific injury. Zidane remains determined to sell Bale, but he could well end up staying. He has every right to reject overtures from China if he feels it would be detrimental to his career, and if the big European clubs are not forthcoming with offers, Bale may yet warm the bench at the Bernabeu next season, pocketing £600,000 a week to play golf and enjoy the sunshine.
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