An unexpected turn of events has seen Wales captain Gareth Bale in talks with Cardiff City over a sensational free transfer according to Glen Williams of Wales Online. The five times Champions League winner will be a free agent when his contract with Spanish giants Real Madrid expires at the end of this month.
32-year-old Bale earned a staggering £600,000 per week at Real; however, his next move is unlikely to be motivated by money. Bale is chasing regular first-team football ahead of Wales’s first World Cup Finals since 1958.
Gareth Bale in Talks With Cardiff City Over Sensational Free Transfer
Exclusive: Gareth Bale visited Cardiff City's training base today and spoke with Steve Morison for the first time.
+ Told he will make decision in coming days
+ Going on hols again until July 16
+ Vincent Tan keeping very close tabs on it #CCFC #Bluebirds https://t.co/SvBGD8ikJz— Glen Williams (@GlenWilliams12) June 22, 2022
Gareth Bale visited Cardiff City’s training ground on Wednesday and spoke with manager Steve Morison. Although this was the first time that the pair had spoken, Bale’s representatives and Cardiff have held talks for several weeks.
It will be of little surprise that Cardiff are not the only one interested in the serial Champions League winner and Wales legend. However, it is understood that Bale will not keep the Bluebirds waiting. He is set to give them an answer in the coming days before heading off on holiday.
Gareth Bale Speaks About Where he Could Play Next
Speaking ahead of his next move, Bale said: “I know possible destinations. I don’t really know if the standard makes too much of a difference, to be honest. Football games are football games. I feel like I’ll never really lose my quality on the ball, so I guess it’s a conversation to be had.
“I’ve been available for quite a lot of the games in Spain. Sometimes you just don’t get picked so people assume that you’re injured; it’s just that perception.
“People think I play a lot of golf, but I actually don’t; people think I’m injured a lot but I’m actually not.”
🗣 "I don't really know if the standard makes too much of a difference."
Gareth Bale reflects on the club hunt with reports of him being linked to Championship side Cardiff pic.twitter.com/bsTOKFsq53
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) June 14, 2022
A Welsh Star Despite Limited Game Time For Madrid
Despite having limited game time in Spain, Bale has featured regularly for Wales, scoring some important goals. His two goals against Austria sealed a 2-1 victory in the World Cup qualifying playoff semi-finals. In the final, a classic Bale freekick gave the Welsh a 1-0 win over Ukraine to book their place in Qatar.
The 32-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur star has now played 106 games for his country, scoring 39 goals.
Returning Home Could be a Big Draw For Bale
Born and raised in Cardiff, a homecoming could appeal to Bale, especially as his family still live in the Welsh capital. The Bluebirds also share a training ground with the Wales team. This could give the player the chance to work closely with their fitness and medical staff ahead of the country’s biggest tournament in 64 years.
With this in mind, Bale may be allowed to be more selective in which games he plays allowing him to stay fit but also match-ready for when the World Cup begins in November.
