Gareth Bale’s transfer options: Madrid, Munich, Manchester… or even Moscow?
Tottenham fans may not like it, but the form of Gareth Bale has made the Welshman a target for Europe's biggest and richest clubs, Alongside Radamel Falcao and Cristiano Ronaldo, Bale will be one of the most wanted players in Europe this summer, but with the lethal left-footed attacker likely to command a huge transfer fee if Daniel Levy is going to be convinced to sell him, only the financial big-hitters will be able to afford his services. Of Tottenham's Premier League rivals, that means only Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United could potentially tempt Bale to make a move, with some of the continent's grandest clubs also casting their eyes toward Spurs' prize asset. Then there's the crazy money available at Anzhi, who managed to convince highly-rated midfielder Willian to join them in January ahead of a host of other top clubs. talkSPORT look at the pros and cons of each potential Bale destination...
Club: Real Madrid
Pros: The nine-time European Cup winners could land number ten before the summer, but either way, they will want to strengthen in the summer and there are few players capable of making an already formidable team even stronger. Gareth Bale has so far experienced only one season of Champions League football - losing out to the mighty Real in the 2011 last eight - so the opportunity to compete for the trophy with Europe's giants, as well as domestic titles, would be hugely tempting. If Cristiano Ronaldo leaves for pastures new, the Welshman could also become the new focal point in the Madrid attack.
Cons: It seems ridiculous to suggest that a club willing to pay the fortune required for Tottenham to part ways with Gareth Bale would put him on the bench, but if there's one team around that has shown a precedent of doing so it's Real Madrid. Look at Michael Owen, who had a big reputation in Spain when Madrid brought him to the Bernabeu in 2005, only for the striker to spend most of his time on the bench and leave a year later. Then there's Luka Modric, who commanded the biggest fee in Spain last summer, but is only now beginning to assert himself in the Madrid team, receiving plenty of criticism from both supporters and fans along the way. Nothing is guaranteed when it comes to Los Blancos, and a move to the Bernabeu tends to either make or break a footballer's career.
Club: Manchester United
Pros: After a second consecutive year of major European disappointment, Manchester United will be desperate to reach the latter stages of the Champions League next season. To do so they may need to pay big to bring in a genuine world-class talent, as they did last summer with Robin van Persie. The prospect of Bale and the Dutchman playing together is tantalising, and the opportunity to play under Sir Alex Ferguson, who is likely to retire in the near future, must be a temptation for any footballer considering their options this year. Not to mention the distinct possibility that a move to Old Trafford would lead to winner's medals, on the domestic front, for Bale, who's yet to win a trophy at Spurs.
Cons: Despite their domestic success, Manchester United have under-achieved when it comes to the Champions League, and after two consecutive years of failure to reach the quarter-finals, as well as two humbling defeats in Champions League finals, the Red Devils are in many ways a declining force in Europe's premier club competition. Bale may prefer to join a team who can not only match United's guarantee of domestic glory, but improve on that with better prospects of lifting the cup with the big ears.
Club: PSG
Pros: One of the most impressive things about PSG's rapid rise under their new, mega-rich owners is that they have managed to achieve something Manchester City can still only dream of, having progressed comfortably into the Champions League quarter-finals. The league title looks set to follow, but that is just the top of the iceberg as far as PSG's ambitions are concerned. The Parisians are a club on the up and will expect to challenge for the Champions League over the coming seasons. Who wouldn't be tempted by the opportunity to join talents like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ezequiel Lavezzi, while earning big money, titles and possibly the Champions League?
Cons: Elite footballers require regular challenges to continue to perform at the peak of their abilities, and with Lyon selling off their stars to the highest bidder, and few other genuine challengers to be found, PSG could find themselves in a boring Ligue 1 class of their own. As much money as they may have, the French League is not comparable in standard to the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A.
Club: Bayern Munich
Pros: With Arjen Robben reportedly unhappy due to his reduced role at Bayern Munich, the Bavarians could have a gaping hole in one of their wide positions this summer, and Gareth Bale may be the man to fill it. At Bayern, he would have the chance to be coached by one of the most successful managers in modern football, Pep Guardiola, while playing for one of the world's greatest clubs. Bayern's oft-touted economic stability means there's no danger of suffering from the whims of a trigger-happy owner, too.
Cons: As a teetotaller, Bale may find Oktoberfest offensive to his senses. Other than that, we really can't see much of a downside to a Bavarian move.
Club: Chelsea
Pros: Moving across London to one of Tottenham's greatest rivals and a team they are currently above in the table would require something special to make it happen, so we can only really see Bale ending up at Stamford Bridge if one man joins him there this summer: the Special One himself. Though often derided as a defensive coach, Jose Mourinho has shown a brilliant knack for getting the very best out of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid, and with the possibility that he could return to Stamford Bridge in the summer, Mou could find a similar player to build his side around in Gareth Bale. Eden Hazard, Oscar and Juan Mata are only some of the names on an impressive roster of talent that the Welshman would no doubt enjoy linking up with.
Cons: In many ways Bale's popularity this season is comparable to Eden Hazard last summer, who had the pick of several clubs in Europe and ultimately settled for Chelsea. Now, the Belgian finds himself out of the Champions League, under his second manager of the season with the potential for that to change further depending on what the owner thinks, and with little to no hope of winning the league. It would be even worse for Bale, as his hero status would be instantly ruined by turning out in blue. Seven years ago, Chelsea were a big enough attraction to make Ashley Cole jump ship from Arsenal, but right now Bale would have to be mad to move from White Hart Lane to join the Stamford Bridge circus.
Club: Barcelona
Pros: Barcelona's biggest selling point is their players. With Xavi nearing the end of his career, the next couple of years could be the last chance for attackers like Bale to be supplied by one of the greatest midfield partnerships ever, with the aforementioned Catalan alongside Andres Iniesta. There is also the minor temptation of playing alongside Lionel Messi. Considering Mark Hughes was the last Welshman to play for Barca, there's little to lose for Bale on that front, too!
Cons: At Barcelona there's little doubt over who the main man is. Everything goes through Lionel Messi, for better or for worse, so would Bale be willing to accept that his own role would be reduced significantly? Like it or not, at Barca, the Tottenham man could become just another winger asked to make space for the Messiah. Some may consider that an honour, but for an ambitious player like Bale, why accept a lesser role, even if it is for one of the world's greatest players?
Club: Anzhi Makhachkala
Pros: Many football fans are idealists, and like to think that competing for trophies, not just money, is the biggest motivating factor for a player. The decisions made by the likes of Samuel Eto'o and Willian to join Anzhi suggest otherwise, however, and cold hard cash could be a hugely convincing factor for Bale, as it is for anyone. While there is the obvious caveat of moving to a remote region of Russia in order to bring home the dough, Anzhi do play their European fixtures in Moscow, so Bale would hardly be left in the middle of nowhere all season. Who would be brave enough to turn down half-a-million pounds a week? That's the kind of money Anzhi could conceivably cough up.
Cons: Anzhi are very much a work in progress, and while Manchester United, Barcelona or even Real Madrid are unlikely to match the salary offered by the Russians, they can still pay big money and are a far more attractive prospect on the pitch - and off it, if you're a lad from Cardiff, rather than Kazan.
Club: Manchester City
Pros: City can run Anzhi close when it comes to money, but moving up the road to Manchester is far simpler logistically for Bale than half-way across the world to Russia, though both present an obvious language barrier (joking). Unlike Spurs, Roberto Mancini's team have a realistic chance of winning the Premier League title and will also be looking to strengthen in the summer in order to make a better impression on the Champions League. Despite their limp displays on Europe's grandest stage so far, it's not far fetched to say that Bale could play his part in an historic European triumph for the blue half of Manchester in the near future. Sadly for Spurs, similar success is far harder to foresee.
Cons: Roberto Mancini's poor European record won't exactly fill him with faith when it comes to the Champions League and, despite their wealth, City haven't yet ascended to the 'perennial winners' status occupied by the likes of Man United, Barcelona, Real and Bayern. If Bale is going to leave White Hart Lane, it will most likely be for one of European football's greatest clubs. Can anyone honestly say that City fit into that bracket?
The best option?
The best option for Bale will depend on what exactly he wants as a player. If money is his biggest desire, then Anzhi would be favourites, while competing for all trophies available is something Barcelona and Real Madrid do better than most. Somewhere in the middle lies Manchester United, who would provide a simple move that doesn't require a huge up-rooting of Bale's young family, as well as the chance to be coached by Sir Alex Ferguson and a near guarantee of competing for the league title. Don't discount Bayern Munich either, however, should they express any interest in him. With Pep Guardiola at the helm, big things are rightly expected of them next season, and the Bundesliga is possibly the most exciting league in Europe at present. Finally, the Welshman may consider loyalty important, with Tottenham helping give him the platform to become one of the game's most exciting talents. Spurs are willing to offer their star man a bumper pay rise, will hope to offer Champions League football next season and may have provided Bale with his first winner's medal in May. They may need to do all that and more to prevent him from leaving this summer.
What do you think? If Gareth Bale moves on in the summer, where should he go? Let us know by leaving a comment below...