Real Madrid have reportedly told Gareth Bale that they plan to sell him this summer, but will let him pick his next club.
The Welshman joined the Spanish giants in 2013, and has gone on to score 102 goals in 227 appearances while winning countless major honours including a La Liga title and four Champions League trophies.
However, he has struggled with injuries during his time at the Bernabeu, while he’s managed just 14 goals and five assists in 38 appearances so far this season despite being regarded by many as their new talisman after Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit last summer.
Bale turns 30 this summer, and it appears as though Real Madrid are ready to cut their losses, and use the funds generated from his sale to rebuild the squad.
According to AS, the club have informed him and his agent that they intend to sell this summer, and that they will let him pick his next club if the offers that come in are on a similar level.
It’s specifically added that Man Utd and Bayern Munich are interested, while Bale’s agent is said to have suggested that it will take an offer of €175m to prise his client away from the Spanish capital.
That is a huge fee, and it remains to be seen whether or not either United or Bayern would even consider getting close to that this summer on a soon-to-be 30-year-old with a history of injury setbacks.
Nevertheless, Bale still possesses great quality, experience and a winning pedigree, but it would appear as though his future doesn’t lie with Real Madrid, who could look to oversee an exciting rebuild of the squad this summer after Zinedine Zidane’s return last month.
Los Blancos are set to end the season empty-handed after a campaign which saw both Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari sacked, and so after such an underwhelming year, new signings to reinforce the squad are expected this summer.