Top five clubs who can afford to sign Real Madrid star Gareth Bale

The Welshman has gone down the pecking order at Santiago Bernabeu under Zinedine Zidane.

“Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.” Gareth Bale held a banner comprising these words after a Euro 2020 qualifier game for his country in November 2019. The Welshman is arguably engaged in a battle of egos with the key decision-makers at the club currently. Apparently, he does not intend to leave the club unless someone comes with a better wage offer.

Zinedine Zidane is in no mood to offer him any playing time either, as the 31-year-old started merely 12 matches in the 2019-20 La Liga campaign. Chinese club Jiansu Suning had in fact struck a deal with Real Madrid for Gareth Bale in 2019, however, the agreement fell apart later on as Florentino Perez demanded a transfer fee after initially having allowed the player to be released for free.

The contract of Gareth Bale at Real Madrid lasts until 2022. It is likely for him to stay put there for a couple of years, relish the reported £350,000 (after tax) wage and then leave the club as a free agent. However, reports have put few clubs interested in him in the summer. Here, we look at five clubs which can afford Gareth Bale, as it is no mean task considering his stature and illustriousness.  

5. Paris Saint-Germain

French giants Paris Saint-Germain can be the obvious suspects to lure Gareth Bale away from Real Madrid. With Edinson Cavani having departed and Angel Di Maria ageing, the Welshman could be an ideal candidate to enrich their already enviable forward line. Their runners-up finish in the UEFA Champions League 2019-20 season added a feather to the club’s cap, thus displaying that they mean business and will not be pushovers on the European front anymore.

It is adequate to bring in the necessary reinforcements to improve their performance in the next season, for which pursuing Gareth Bale could be a logical move. They have made space in the wage book by parting ways with Cavani and Thiago Silva. So the financial factor should not be an obstacle in securing Bale's signature.

4. Inter Miami

Back in May 2020, Gareth Bale had admitted that moving the Major League Soccer might interest him. This began the rumours of Bale seeking greener pastures in the MLS soon. The Athletic in the same month later claimed that the 31-year-old had been offered to an MLS club but they turned down the offer to sign the winger. However, one cannot possibly rule out any chances of witnessing the Welsh stalwart embark on a career over there. Inter Miami CF, co-owned by ex-Real Madrid star David Beckham could be one of the possibly destinations for the forward.

They are currently placed at the bottom of the Eastern Conference table after eight matches into the season. The club was founded in 2018 and recently secured a transfer of Juventus midfielder Blaise Matuidi. It is definitely an exciting project to be a part of, though a possibility of the club chasing Bale is quite low as of now.

3. Juventus

Speaking of the Old Lady, Juventus can potentially be an attractive suitor for the Real Madrid star. The Serie A champions had moved swiftly to sign Cristiano Ronaldo when the Portuguese virtuoso was in a lookout from Santiago Bernabeau.

Reuniting the duo of Ronaldo and Bale upfront is an enticing thought for any club, irrespective of the fact that the two players didn’t probably share the best of camaraderie during their time together in Spain. Juventus savour their free transfers, hence Real Madrid might have to agree to release Gareth Bale sans a signing-on fee just because of the exorbitant wages that he commands. Moreover, the Turin-based club really needs to move up the ladder with respect to their performances in the UEFA Champions League and thus getting hold of Bale could be decisive for that.

2. Tottenham Hotspur

Daniel Levy can make an offer for Gareth Bale to reunite with his beloved North London club. There will be an emotive factor involved in this deal, something that can likely convince the Welshman to play on a lower weekly wage. Tottenham Hotspur also provides the player a chance to work along with Jose Mourinho.

Gareth Bale is very possibly the sort of player whom Mourinho would want in his repertoire of forwards. He is quick, robust, composed in front of goal, puts in the hard yard, aerially formidable and rises to the occasion during the crucial matches. It could forge a fantastic partnership, if only the monetary part of the deal works out properly. However, a possible deal looks far off currently.

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1. Manchester United

It is no secret that Manchester United are in the quest of Jadon Sancho. However, Ed Woodward’s possibly pragmatic approach towards the negotiations has posed questions on whether this transfer could actually come about. Even if it doesn’t, United desperately need a skillful attacker from the right flank. There aren’t many better than Gareth Bale for that.

The Red Devils have been linked to him numerous times in the past, but most it has resulted in a hoax. Real Madrid have never seriously considered letting Gareth Bale move to Old Trafford, nor has United ever come close to it since the player settled in Spain. Right now, the time seems ripe. Ole Gunnar Solksjaer is at the helm of a promising project and has an influx of young talents in the squad.

The inclusion of Bale could offer much more experience, an upgrade in the quality that the current set of players bring to the table and a much more reliability considering that proven track record that he has in the league. Hardly do teams win the league without going for marquee players in the transfer market. Although Manchester United have been reported to interested, a deal is unlikely to be agreed.

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