Southampton and Cardiff City are reportedly interested in signing Gareth Bale from Real Madrid in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato, Gareth Bale will leave Real Madrid as a free agent in the summer transfer window. And his next destination could either be the Premier League or the EFL Championship, with Southampton and Cardiff City keen on signing him.
Gareth Bale has turned into a pantomime villain for Real Madrid and the club’s fans despite having a lasting legacy at the Santiago Bernabeu. The 32-year-old has been integral to Los Blancos’ success in Europe, scoring crucial goals in multiple UEFA Champions League finals. But his stock has plummeted in the last few years, and he is now a peripheral figure at Real Madrid.
The Welsh international has garnered only 290 minutes of game-time across seven appearances this term, with Carlo Ancelotti refusing to utilise him. And Bale’s frustrating spell with Real Madrid will end in the summer transfer window, with his contract expiring next month. The veteran forward’s next destination could be either the Premier League or the EFL Championship.
Bale has popped up on the radar of former club Southampton, who will likely be busy in the transfer market in the summer transfer window. The Saints want to bolster their squad to put a sustained challenge for a top-half finish next season and have shown interest in players like Liam Delap and Gavin Bazunu.
At the same time, Southampton will battle hard to keep hold of James Ward-Prowse amid interest from several Premier League clubs. But Bale’s former club will need to fend off stiff competition from Cardiff City to secure the services of the Real Madrid outcast this summer.
The interest from Cardiff City is surprising, but Bale might be able to play without any baggage if he joins the EFL Championship club. The Real Madrid forward has also received backing from Wales boss Robert Page, who has suggested a move to Cardiff might be good for the 32-year-old.
There had been brief links with another former club Tottenham, but Spurs have other targets in mind for the summer transfer window despite Bale’s solid loan stint last season. For now, what remains certain is Bale will leave Real Madrid as a free agent.
