Real Madrid and Wales international Gareth Bale says he would be open to a Premier League return. However, the 31-year-old believes that Real are making it “difficult” for him to leave.
A number of clubs have reportedly shown interest in the Real Madrid star, but Bale’s agent has previously said that he is “going nowhere”. Bale came close to a move to China last year, but the Spanish giants supposedly blocked the move.
Premier League Return Could be on the Cards for Gareth Bale
Incident-packed seven years for Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale joined Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur for a fee worth £85 million in 2013. The first few years at the club were highly successful for the Welshman as Real dominated in Europe, winning four Champions League titles in his first five years at the club.
Over the last couple of years, the 31-year-old has struggled to make much of an impact for Los Blancos. Frequent injuries and indifferent form has made first-team action hard to come by. When the season resumed, Bale only started one game for Real Madrid as they pushed for the La Liga title.
His frosty relationship with both Zinedine Zidane and his team-mates was highlighted after Real’s title celebrations. Bale seemed to be on the fringes of it all and did not appear to be too excited by the success of his club.
From a Real Madrid perspective, Bale’s departure would benefit the club significantly on a financial basis. Zidane also believes that it would have been “best for everyone” had Bale left for China last year.
What Bale Said
As reported by BBC Sport, Bale said: “I tried to leave last year but they [Real Madrid] blocked everything at the last second.
“It was a project I was excited for last year but it didn’t materialise. And there have been other instances but the club won’t allow it or something, so it’s up to the club.
“I want to play football. I’m still motivated to play football. I’m 31 but I’m in great shape still and I feel I’ve got a lot to give.
“We’ll see what happens. It’s in the club’s hands and they make things very difficult to be honest.”
Who Could Afford to pay his Staggering Wages?
Despite his limited game-time, Bale is still Real Madrid’s highest-paid player. The Welshman is on a contract worth around £600,000 per week, which does not expire until 2022. A lot of clubs would relish the chance of giving Gareth Bale the game-time he wants, but the reality is that only a select few could afford to pay his extortionate wages.
A return to Tottenham has been on the cards for Bale. Jose Mourinho is reportedly keen on the Welshman, whose paths very nearly met at Real Madrid, with Bale joining the club three months after the Portuguese manager left.
Another club who have been linked with Bale in the past is Manchester United. The Red Devils have been pursuing a deal with Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho all summer, but may look to Bale if they are unsuccessful in bringing the 20-year-old back to England.
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