Summer Transfer Rumors: Real Madrid Show Interest In Gareth Bale
Tottenham Spurs’ rising star Gareth Bale is set to become the center of attention this summer as many clubs look to steal away the 23-year-old and Real Madrid could be the most likely suitor. The Blancos lost the Champions League semi-final to Borussia Dortmund by a 3-4 aggregate on Tuesday and have since been linked to multiple changes within the club that could take place after the season.
Bale is running away with the hearts of Premier League supporters after doubling up as the PFA’s Player and Young Player of the Year a week ago. Even before bringing in the hardware, the young midfielder had drawn interest from multiple clubs throughout Europe though he’s played down the talks by saying “it’s all speculation.”
Zinedine Zidane, a Real Madrid ambassador and legend of the game, has chimed in on the conversation and believes the Blancos are willing to cough up the cash if it brings Bale to Madrid.
“Tottenham could demand £40m, £50m, maybe even £60m for him,” Zidane stated. “It is a lot of money, but there are maybe three or four teams in the world that can pay that sort of transfer fee, and it won’t put them off.”
As one of the Premier League’s most versatile footballers, Bale has the ability to produce goals as a striker or make crucial stops as a defender. He’s settled in as the Spurs’ top midfielder and has kept the club in the hunt for a top-four spot in the Premier League table as the season nears its end.
Many believe Bale’s future in Tottenham could be affected by the Spurs ability to clinch a berth in next season’s Champions League. The former Southampton recruit is determined to return to the spotlight that is the Champions League and has also gone on to say he would give up his PFA awards for a top-four spot in the Premier League.
Whether Tottenham falls short or not won’t affect Real Madrid’s pursuit as they would love to bring the Welshman to the Primera Liga. Rival FC Barcelona has also been rumored to have interest in Bale, along with England’s Manchester City and Paris St. Germain of Ligue 1.
Each club can afford to pay a high-priced transfer fee, which Bale is sure to have, and Real Madrid is considered to be the favorite as they have continually praised Bale’s talents and made attempts to add him in the past. After a disappointing end to the semi-finals against Dortmund and all the speculation around manager Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid is willing to do what it takes to finally bring Bale to Santiago Bernabeu.
Zinedine Zidane understands the impact a young guy like Gareth Bale can bring to an experienced club like Real Madrid. Zidane is now Madrid’s director of football and notes that Bale’s talents purely outweigh the accompanying transfer fees.
“A player like Bale can be the difference between a big club winning the league or the Champions League,” Zidane insisted.
Is Gareth Bale going to leave Tottenham this summer? If so, will Real Madrid find a way to bring in the highly touted midfielder?
[Image via James Boyes]
