As soon as Gareth Bale’s overhead kick flew into the net in Kyiv, one thing was clear: Transfer rumours were on the way.
Bale is a longstanding pillar of the rumour mill and with Zinedine Zidane not counting on him as a senior player last season, there was always going to be claims of an exit.
That shot hitting the net pushed things further. Then Bale scored again, and then after the match he openly voiced doubt about his future.
It was all perfectly reasonable grounding to launch things again.
Linked with Manchester United since he was christened the next Ryan Giggs at Southampton, Bale knows that Jose Mourinho is a big fan (We all do, Mourinho has made it publicly clear) and it’s reasonable if he’d therefore expect more prominence under the manager.
El Confidencial, who have been pretty good on Madrid exits in recent years, report that Bale has two offers to choose from: Manchester United and Bayern Munich.
The Real Madrid player is ‘torn between two offers’. Both clubs can pay what Madrid are asking, with that said to have risen from €120m to €150m thanks to the Champions League final.
Moving to Old Trafford would bring the Welshman around €35m a year, say El Confidencial, but it’s believed Bayern Munich are attractive for a different reason.
Bale and his family have enjoyed being left in peace by the Spanish media and feel a return to English football would see their media profile, and subsequent intrusion, increase.
That wouldn’t be the case in Germany to the same extent, and that’s why it’s the ‘preferred option’ right now.
It must be said this isn’t being pushed strongly in Germany, where Robert Lewandowski’s desire for an exit is the big Bayern story right now. Lewandowski is thought to have long held a desire to play for Real Madrid.
And we all know the claim that is coming next.
