After Spurs finished fifth today I think it's safe to say that Gareth Bale has become the prime transfer target for clubs around the world especially as he has not signed a new contract with Spurs. So who do you think Bale will end up signing with?

 

Feel free to throw in a rough price estimation if it pleases you.

He'll sign a new deal, and become the highest paid Spurs player of all time by a considerable distance, on >120k a week.

Real Madrid or Man Utd.

I think he might end up staying, but I'd love to take him at United whatever the cost. He is a custom-built United player who fits right into the mentality of the team. We need to fix the left side of our play (Kagawa needs to be centralised, Zaha usually plays to the right I think) and with Baines also linked (although Evra has been perfectly fine, but Buttner won't be long for the team IMO), Bale would be a killer big name addition. Then we just need Fellaini and a back-up goalkeeper and we're good to go.

It's a really difficult one to predict because even though he's a brilliant player, there's only a few clubs in the world that can afford him, and out of those, I can't see Levy selling, Bale wanting to go there, or even that team even wanting/needing him, as they have a player there already.

 

In the EPL, you've got Man Utd, Man City and Chelsea. Now Levy, it is reported, has refused to ever sell to Man Utd again because he felt he was held to ransom over Berbatov. I'm not sure if that's actually true, but the Supplement journos talk about that as if its common fact, so there's probably something in it.

 

Thing is, even if Utd can afford the fee and wages, as soon as they make a move, Chelsea and City will blow them out of the water. Man Utd make a move, and Levy "let slip" to the bazillionaires that they're considering an offer, and those guys will simply say "£10m on top of your highest bid, recurring" and you'll end up with a transfer fee so high it's actually obscene. And it won't be Man Utd's.

 

Abroad you've got 5 realistic clubs: Barca, Real, PSG, Monaco and Bayern. Barca have Messi and are rumoured to be getting Neymar too. Would there be room for Bale there? Real have Ronaldo, Ozil and Di Maria, is there room for him there? Bayern have Kroos, Ribery, Goetze and Robben, is there room for him there? The French clubs could afford the fee, but I don't see Bale going to Ligue Une.

 

Obviously we're going to witness a transfer merry-go-round, so one of these players could leave/sign, and that kicks off a frenzy that sees Bale leave Spurs as well.

 

But most of all, Bale just seems happy and settled where he is, and by that i mean "London". I'm sure he loves it at Spurs, and he'll be more than content to stay there. However, in recent interviews he's refused to commit to Spurs, and he's going to be under huge pressure from his agent to move for a gigantic transfer fee.

 

If I could personally pick his next move then for me I'd love to see him at Barca. However put a gun to my head and I'll say Mourinho's Chelsea, for £45m.

 

Cheers!

The money issue is fair, but RVP turned down Man City's money to join United and I really think Bale would do the same, I really do. Chelsea and City could line up £50,000 more a week and I still think the prospect of playing next to Giggs, who he has admitted several times is his childhood hero, and the lure of playing for Manchester United (and City and Chelsea are not at that level of name value yet) would swing him. He doesn't strike me as being a mercenary, although maybe I'm giving him too much credit. If United gave him a contract he was happy with, he'd join in a heartbeat. Plus, he is far more likely to become a legend at United than at City (who don't actually need him) or Chelsea (ditto, actually), so I do think it is between United and Spurs domestically.

 

Abroad, completely different story. But Madrid taking him may change once Mourinho leaves. He could be tempted by a change of scenery entirely, Madrid are a huge team and obviously a lot depends on what happens to Ronaldo. If Ronny follows Jose to Chelsea (extremely unlikely) or moves to PSG (more likely), easy fit. If he stays, is there room for Bale? Would he even move elsewhere?

 

I think he'd stay domestic, and I would hedge a big bet that it'll be purely and ONLY between United and Spurs when all is said and done.

I can see him going to United. Surely he's got to have reached the end of his tether not playing in the Champion's League, and I don't see Chelsea really needing him, or him willing to risk it at City.

He'll go to Madrid. It's common fact that he admires Cristiano and Florentino has the big bucks to sign him. We are gonna make a HUGE summer signing in Neymar so I'm pretty sure Florentino will want to 1up us and make a huge summer signing himself. He can play alongside Cristiano (I refuse to call him Ronaldo. There's only one Ronaldo and he's Brasilian) pretty well. Cristiano will be on the left flank and Bale on the right one. Di Maria on the bench. It's quite ****ing scary the though of Cristiano and Bale playing in separate flanks. A counter-attack between those two would probably end up in a goal 95% of the time.

Will Bale really stay on the right? I think Bale much prefers playing on the left, which leans me towards United as we're desperate for a left-sided player. If Ronaldo leaves, then absolutely Bale will probably go there. I just don't see them playing together. Not to say they won't, but it's highly unlikely.

 

If Ronaldo comes home, Bale can go to Madrid. If Ronaldo stays, Bale will stay in England. I'm still leaning towards sticking with Spurs, but that CL spot is becoming more and more important for a player of his calibre.

And again, a lot of it will rest on who Madrid bring in to replace Jose. The new manager may not want Bale in his team.

Since when has that stopped Real?

Fair point, but I can't see any signings until the new manager is in.

 

However, The Independent are reporting that Bale has signed a £130,000 a week contract with a £50m release clause that activates at the end of next season.