Gareth Bale set for Real Madrid departure this summer after reaching agreement with Premier League club - Reports
Welsh winger Gareth Bale is set to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season when the 32-year-old's contract at the club expires in the summer. Bale has reportedly reached an agreement with Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur over a return to the club.
According to El Nacional, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is 'fed up' with Gareth Bale and is desperate to part ways with the winger at the end of the season. The club are eager to get rid of Bale's €692,000-per-week salary.
Gareth Bale joined Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2013 for a then-world-record fee of £85 million. Bale enjoyed an impressive debut season with the Spanish giants, scoring 22 goals in 44 appearances in all competitions and helping the club win the Champions League title and Copa del Rey title.
The 32-year-old was widely considered one of the best players in the world when he joined Los Blancos, but his time with the La Liga club has been ravaged by injuries. Despite his impressive goal-scoring record for the club, Bale has arguably been unable to reach the heights expected of him during his eight-and-a-half years with the club.
He has scored 106 goals in 254 appearances in all competitions for Real Madrid, and has helped the club win four Champions League titles, a Copa del Rey title, and two La Liga titles.
Bale suffered a massive fall from grace at Real Madrid during the 2019-20 season. He scored just three goals in 20 appearances in all competitions for the club that season and fell out of favor with then-Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.
He joined Tottenham Hotspur on a season-long loan deal in the summer of 2020. Bale scored 16 goals in 34 appearances in all competitions for the north London club before returning to Real Madrid this summer.
The 32-year-old's involvement has been limited this season due to injuries. He has made just three appearances for the club during the 2021-22 campaign and is reportedly considered surplus to requirements by Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti.
Furthermore, the Welshman's relationship with Real Madrid fans has gone from bad to worse after he was seen laughing at Eden Hazard during Real Madrid's Copa del Rey quarter-final loss to Athletic Bilbao on February 3. Hazard was sent back to the bench after warming up in the second half and remained as an unused substitute.
Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur have now reportedly agreed to sign Gareth Bale this summer on a free transfer.
Gareth Bale appears to laugh at Eden Hazard sub embarrassment on Real Madrid bench
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Real Madrid will be able to raise the funds required to sign Kylian Mbappe if Gareth Bale leaves the club
Gareth Bale's potential departure at the end of the season will help free up the funds Real Madrid require to sign Kylian Mbappe from PSG. Bale is one of the highest earners at the Santiago Bernabeu with a weekly salary of €650,000.
Kylian Mbappe's contract with PSG is set to expire at the end of the season and he has thus far rejected the chance to sign a contract extension with the club. The Frenchman reportedly has his heart set on a move to Real Madrid next summer.
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The 23-year-old is believed to be earning a fee in the region of €475,000-per-week at PSG and will expect to receive a better wage deal from Real Madrid.