Gareth Bale, having won the PFA Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year in 2013, went on to become the most expensive player ever, in a sensational transfer to Real Madrid, from Tottenham, dislodging Cristiano Ronaldo from the top spot, the same year. Bale, brought in as the long term successor of Ronaldo, in a spectacular turn of events might see his Real Madrid career cut short.
After an underwhelming start to his career at Bernabeu, plagued with injuries, the Welshman slowly established himself in the Real Madrid side over the course of the season. His first season with the Spanish side had a fairy tale ending. Gareth Bale scored both in the Copa Del Rey and the Champions League final. Bale’s next season with the club was nowhere close to that, with the crowds jeering him roundly as Real exited the Champions League, well beaten at the hands of Juventus.
The emergence of Isco and Asensio, coupled with Bale’s niggling injury problems hasn’t really concocted the best of recipes for the player to continue receiving the backing of the fans and management. Add to that, the rumours linking AS Monaco wonder-kid Kylian Mbappe joining Los Blancos, and Bale’s position in the team becomes ever more untenable. A superstar in his own rights, the 27-year-old won’t be satisfied with a bit-part role at the prime of his career.
There are only a handful number of clubs that could afford Bale’s transfer fee and fewer still if you take the player’s preferences into account. Bale will go down as one of the most successful British players in the history of football, having enjoyed a supremely successful spell at Real, which yielded three Champions League titles, a La Liga winner’s medal and a Copa Del Rey triumph in a span of four years.
It is safe to say, Bale would find it extremely difficult to replicate this level of success and esteem at whichever club he joins. According to Diario Gol, the left-back turned winger has put it in no uncertain terms, that the only club he might consider joining, if pushed out of Real Madrid, is Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United.
It remains to be seen how serious Florentino Perez is about delivering another Galactico in the form of Mbappe. Even with the proposed sale of Madrid duo, Morata and James Rodriguez, Bale would have to fight it out with Isco and Asensio for a place in the first eleven. Mbappe’s signing could seal the deal for Bale and the Welshman has identified Manchester United as his next acceptable destination.
With Antoine Griezmann’s move to United falling through, Mourinho could be on the look-out for his next marquee signing having already gazumped Chelsea to Lukaku.
But even after factoring in all permutations and combinations of possible transfers in and out of Real Madrid, it seems unlikely that Bale would seek a move this window. The speedster also being linked to PSG, is currently at the club of his dreams, winning important trophies on a daily basis. While a move back to England cannot be entirely ruled out, come August, it is more likely that the 27-year-old would want to fight for his place in the Madrid side and prove his doubters wrong.
