3 potential destinations for Gareth Bale next season
Gareth Bale has reached a crossroads in his career.
The Welshman is set to leave Real Madrid in the summer after experiencing a few horrible years at the club where he won every major trophy. Bale is now thinking about his next journey, which could well be the last of his career.
Despite only featuring seven times for Los Blancos this season, Gareth is still viewed as an asset by many European clubs. Many sides would be more than willing to accommodate him and sign him up as a free agent.
With that being said, here’s a look at three possible destinations for Bale next season.
Back to Tottenham Hotspur
Bale might’ve been most successful at Real Madrid, with whom he won multiple Champions League and La Liga titles, but he always looked happiest at Tottenham Hotspur. The Welshman enjoyed a prolific loan spell with Spurs in the 2020/21 season, scoring 16 goals and registering 3 assists.
Even at the age of 30, he proved to be good enough and sharp enough to make an impact. With Bale’s agent hinting about a return to England after leaving Real, this makes a lot of sense.
Antonio Conte will probably want more goal-scorers in his team and the prospect of working with an experienced, elite forward like Bale could be tempting. Spurs wouldn’t have to pay any transfer fee for Bale and he’d link up with Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min to cause more devastation next season.
Shock move to Cardiff City for Bale?
Bale has a special connection with Wales as some of his best performances over the last 5-6 years have been for Wales. The Welshman could be willing to end his career in his home country, which is why Cardiff City has popped up as a surprise candidate.
Indeed, the Welsh side are the bookies’ favorites to land Bale (as per SkyBet) ahead of any other side. Cardiff would be more than willing to sign the winger, as he’d not only provide a huge boost in quality and make them more popular.
While going from playing for the La Liga champions to a Championship side would be a bitter pill for Bale, the prospect of helping a team from his home country get promoted to the Premier League might be enticing.
Follow the money at Newcastle United
Newcastle United will look to make some blockbuster signings in the summer transfer window and are likely to sniff out lucrative free signings. One of the biggest free deals could be that of Bale after his Real Madrid contract expires.
The Welshman can easily exploit Newcastle’s desperate situation to carve out a very sweet deal. The Magpies have also intensified talks with Bale’s agents (as per Fichajes) as they look to swoop in.
Bale would automatically become the biggest player at Newcastle and the star of the team. That includes getting to play wherever he wants, regular playing time, and a system that probably revolves around his strengths.
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He’d also get some major wages from the newly rich Premier League squad, which can help settle his future needs. Gareth would get his desire to play in England’s top division again and the challenge of helping Newcastle become a ‘top team’ in the Premier League can be slightly irresistible for him.