"One final hurrah!" - Tony Cascarino urges Aston Villa and Newcastle to launch audacious swoop for Real Madrid superstar
Former Aston Villa striker Tony Cascarino believes that Villa and Newcastle United should consider roping in Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale this summer. He stated that Bale, who turns 33 next month, still has a lot to offer.
Bale penned a letter on his social media accounts on Wednesday, announcing his departure from Real Madrid, bringing an end to a bittersweet nine-year spell. His contract expires on June 30 and he will be free to join any club he wants, given they can afford his hefty wage bill.
As per a Daily Mail report in March, Bale pocketed £28.8 million a year with Real Madrid. This huge wage will be a deterrent for any interested parties.
It has been an honour. Thank you! #HALAMADRID @RealMadrid https://t.co/T7FL2LNRrD
Speaking to TalkSport (via Birmingham Mail), Cascarino was quoted saying:
“You could go either Newcastle or Aston Villa. Would he go to any of those particular clubs, if the manager wanted him? I would think jump at it. Go and play! There are clubs that would take him but it’s got to be on a deal that suits the club. Just say; ‘We’ll offer you something that excites you, come and show everybody in the Premier League’."
Cascarino compared Bale to his former Real Madrid teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. Stating that the former Tottenham Hotspur star is younger than both, he believes Bale's career is not yet over and he could have his last dance. He added:
“He’s 32. He’s not old! He could have one final hurrah. He’s two years younger than [Karim] Benzema and five years younger than [Cristiano] Ronaldo. Go and play for six months and you’ve got a World Cup to play in if you qualify.”
Bale added a fifth Champions League trophy to his name last month, though he played little to no part in the title-winning run. He was left on the bench in the final game and made just two appearances throughout the campaign in the competition.
Nonetheless, he received warm applause as he made his final public appearance as a Real Madrid player during their Champions League celebrations at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Premier League is a likely destination for Gareth Bale as he concludes his spell with Real Madrid
With Bale's spell in Spain coming to an end, the question remains, what's next for the speedy winger? The Premier League seems to be the obvious destination for him.
He enjoyed a fruitful season-long loan spell with Tottenham Hotspur in the 2020-21 campaign. He scored 16 goals and made three assists in 34 appearances in all competitions.
Official Announcement: @GarethBale11.
#RealMadrid
He is currently with the Wales National team. They need to win the playoffs scheduled to take place on Sunday (June 5) to secure their place in the 2022 World Cup finals.
One could expect him to share his next club after that.