Former Real Madrid president Jorge Valdano has slammed Gareth Bale, insisting he is not worth the €100 million Los Blancos paid for him.
As reported by Daily Mail (h/t El Transistor), Gareth Bale has come under fire once again. Former Real Madrid president Jorge Valdano has questioned Gareth Bale’s value to Real Madrid, claiming that “nothing he does is worth €100 million” that was paid for him in 2013.
Bale joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 with a burgeoning reputation of being one of the most potent forwards in Europe. But, after a strong start to his stint in the Spanish capital, the player has endured a testing period over the last two seasons, having struggled for fitness.
He has found himself in a similar predicament over the course of the current campaign as well, and his constant battle to remain fit has seen him fall down the pecking order as well. As a result, Bale has featured in just 31 of the 51 matches that Real Madrid have played this season, although he has a decent return of 14 goals and 8 assists.
But, while Bale has often performed well on the pitch, former Real Madrid president Jorge Valdano has come down hard on the Wales international. In a post El Derbi analysis on El Transistor, Valdano claimed that the 28-year-old is not worth anywhere near his €100 million price tag.
“Nothing Bale does is worth €100 million, and that’s the price tag he carries around on his shirt.”
Bale was, ironically, one of the better performers in the derby against Atletico Madrid, providing the assist to Cristiano Ronaldo as Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw. But, it seems as if his stay at the Bernabeu is set to end, with Zinedine Zidane planning a squad revamp this summer.
Despite his struggles at Real Madrid though, Bale continues to reportedly remain a popular figure in the transfer market, with Manchester United heavily linked with a big-money summer move. The player would go a long way in solving some problems in attack for the Red Devils, and could be a fine addition at Old Trafford
Valdano’s comments suggest that Real Madrid might just be better off selling Bale in the summer and recoup a hefty amount to invest elsewhere. What remains to be seen if Los Blancos indeed offload the player this summer and if Manchester United become his next destination.
