Recent reports have claimed that despite popular belief, Real Madrid aren’t actually chasing Kylian Mbappe of Ligue1 side AS Monaco as manager Zinedine Zidane has plans to go ahead with Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo on the flanks next season.
Following a terrific season last campaign where Los Blancos won the La Liga as well as successfully defended their Champions League trophy, the side have hardly found flaws to rectify. And according to the report, the Wales superstar of Santiago Bernabeu has been given assurance by the manager that he remains in his grand scheme of things for next season.
Premier League giants Manchester United, who have been Bale’s long-term admirers, would definitely see it as a big blow as their chances of landing a world class winger get slimmer with every passing week. With the deal with Ivan Perisic failing midway as the Croatian international is ready to sign a new deal with the Nerazzurri, Bale was the next viable option for manager Jose Mourinho.
Real Madrid have a concrete interest in 18-year-old Mbappe, who is touted by many to be the next big thing in world football, but the French international would see more progress in France at the moment before making his big switch to Real Madrid. And it probably hints at Ronaldo’s fading tenure with the club.
Already 32, Ronaldo would want to have regular chances this season with World Cup on the cards, following which Real are expected to initiate their transition process. And Bale, reportedly, is considered as the future of the club with Mbappe playing alongside him.
The Welshman is contracted with Real till 2022, which earns him a whopping £350,000 a week. And Real are unlikely to leave such a bright prospect any time soon. Neymar’s move to PSG for an astronomical sum might have instilled fears in Real about Barcelona going for Mbappe, but their recent developments with Liverpool’s Phillipe Coutinho means that deal isn’t happening.
However, since joining Real Madrid back in 2013, Gareth Bale has managed to play 150 games for them owing to repetitive injuries. And it has only increased over the past three years. The right winger has failed to recover completely missing a whopping 44 games over the past two seasons. And Real will have to ensure he stays fit.
There is no doubt in his talent when he is playing. In those 150 games, Bale has scored 67 goals and provided 51 assists. While he has been quite smooth in Real’s pre-season, Zidane has to be more careful with him as he was with Ronaldo last season.
