6 replacements for Gareth Bale at Real Madrid
Florentino Perez isn’t a man to readily admit defeat – however, when it comes to Gareth Bale, the Real Madrid President ought to probably concede that his world record purchase is a dud. Not many clubs can write off a cool €100 million, but Real Madrid can. In fact, if indications from the Spanish press are true, Manchester United are keen on tempting Bale back to the league where he made his name as a footballer.
The Welshman’s injury-hit career has meant that Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane can never fully trust him, as was seen in the most recent El Clasico loss to Barcelona. Los Blancos tactical plan went out of the game once Bale was injured, leaving them vulnerable. For arguably the biggest club in the world, Gareth Bale has become a liability.
Here are 6 players who could replace Bale at Real Madrid:
#6 Marco Asensio
It’s not Real Madrid’s modus operandi to promote from within, with the promotion of youngsters being anathema to the manner in which Florentino Perez operates. However, Zinedine Zidane’s aura works in the favour of a Real Madrid youngster coming through, as the Frenchman is brave enough to give them a chance and strong enough to withstand any dissenting opinions from Florentino Perez.
Marco Asensio is arguably the most likely to replace Gareth Bale from within the squad, despite the superb form of Isco. Asensio is more suited to playing on the wings, and will not necessitate a change in formation as accommodating Isco would.
The Spanish youngster has enjoyed a breakout season, and already has better numbers than Gareth Bale. The Welshman has contributed to 14 goals this season (9 goals, 5 assists), while Asensio has been involved in 13 goals (9 goals, 4 assists), but the Spaniard has scored at a better rate of a goal every 202 minutes, while also creating more chances than Bale per 90 (2 vs 1.4).