Gareth Bale looks set to leave Real Madrid following a major fallout with the club legend and current coach Zinedine Zidane. The two have shared a glorious time that included winning three European Championships and a La Liga title. However, all that seems to be in the past going by Zidane’s public utterances over the player in recent months.
Bale commands huge wages for obvious reasons and that might prove a real challenge in how the situation turns out. He is only 30 years old and would fancy another three or four seasons playing at a very high level, with only a few clubs able to afford his salary at the moment. Will this push him to Asia or America or will he take a pay cut and join another decent European side? We take a look at the likely destinations for the Welshman below.
Manchester United
The former Tottenham winger has long been linked with a move to Old Trafford and he would be a statement signing from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Red Devils are in the midst of a transition now and Bale’s addition will go a long way in giving assurances to the fans. So far United have stressed on building an energetic, young squad and having brought in two hot prospects, Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, a move for Bale would represent a huge shift in strategy. Real Madrid have not shied away from showing interest to sign Paul Pogba and so we could be in for a swap deal!
Bayern Munich
The German giants have no problem affording Bale’s current salary and are also in need of another wide forward as a replacement for Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery. This, therefore, makes a lot of sense from the very onset. Already talk of Bale as a Bavarian has been going around with Bayern midfielder Thiago Alcantara being quoted on the possibility of playing alongside bale. The Spaniard said he would welcome the Wales international to the Allianz Arena with open arms as he is a ‘top player’ who would strengthen the squad.
Paris Saint-Germain
The French giants have not registered their interest in Bale in the past but that could change, with Neymar being rumored to be on the move. PSG have the money to lure him and, should Neymar move back to Barcelona, they will most definitely want to bring in another forward to replace him. Bale’s Champions League experience could be a huge selling point to PSG as they remain desperate to win the competition after so many disappointing early exits.
China
China have continued to attract some of the big talents in Europe over the last couple of years and Bale would be an astronomical signing for any Super League club. Unlike with most clubs across Europe, Bale’s remarkably high wages will not be a problem for most Chinese Super League sides