Real Madrid’s recruitment of Tottenham Hotspur’s Gareth Bale took another turn according to reports in the British media.
The Sunday Telegraph has claimed that the Spanish giants enquired about signing the Wales international last summer when they signed Luka Modric from Spurs and that Madrid will be given first choice whenever Spurs decide to sell Bale with the price potential reaching €65m.
Stories emerged over the weekend that Bayern Munich were the latest club to be keen on signing Bale, but with Perez to stand for re-election at the end of the season, he needs a marquee transfer to be given another four years. And reports suggest that Bale will become Perez’s tenth ‘Galáctico’ signing as the Real Madrid president looks to commence a new project in the summer.
Bale’s game has really improved leaps and bounds under André Vilas-Boas, who has been playing Bales more down the middle this season, instead of out wide. In some ways, Bale is following a similar path to Cristiano Ronaldo, who also started out as a winger before moving into a more central position.
As a result of playing more central this season, Bale’s goal-record this season is simply outstanding; 21 goals in 36 official games for both Tottenham Hotspur and Wales, comfortably career highs.
Bale’s contract expires in 2016 at Tottenham, but nobody expects him to see out that contract. Spurs will be approached by all the big teams in Europe this summer regardless of whether they qualify for the Champions League next season or not.
The big question then is whether at only 23 years of age whether Gareth Bale is ready to move to a bigger club? And if he is, does he want to move to Spain, Germany or France, where he doesn’t know anyone and doesn’t speak the language? Or whether he will decide he wants to stay in England and will instead move to Man City or Man United?
Where do you think Gareth Bale will be playing next season?