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Embattled Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale will make a decision on his future next month after international commitments with the Welsh national team, his agent Jonathan Barnett has said.
The 32-year-old is expected to leave the Spanish capital this summer after his contract expires, ending his nine-year association with the club. Bale has fallen out of favour with Los Blancos for some time now, and their fans have also made their dislike for him clear with boos and whistles.
As things stand, Bale will be a free agent after June 30. Barnett has now confirmed that the Welshman will decide his future based on how Wales fare in the FIFA World Cup playoffs. Speaking to WalesOnline (via Football Espana), Barnett said:
“We will sit down and go through everything after the Wales matches in June. Gareth wants to focus on what happens with Wales first. He will then make a decision about the future once he knows exactly where Wales are at. There will always be speculation from others, but it’s not necessarily informed."
He added:
“His massive ambition is to lead Wales into the World Cup; he’s already done pretty much everything else. The people of Wales will know how much that means to him; he’s probably a national treasure to them.”
Bale joined Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013 on a then-world record fee of £80 million. He has won every title since then, including four UEFA Champions League medals.
Regardless of his current status at the club, Bale will leave as a Real Madrid legend. He has bagged 106 goals and 67 assists in 258 appearances across competitions.
Real Madrid ace Gareth Bale on his way to Cardiff City?
Bale's next destination is still unclear, but a move back to his hometown to play for Championship side Cardiff City is a possibility.
Insisting that money isn't a factor in the Real Madrid outcast's decision, Barnett added:
“Finance will not come into this. He’s already extremely wealthy. Gareth is probably the richest footballer Britain has produced. In any case, no club on earth would be able to pay what he’s on at the moment."
He added:
“Gareth realises that. Money is not important to him. It will be down to where he wants to play, a personal choice – but only after the Wales games are out of the way. We’ll look and see in due course. But I repeat, there are no options on the table at the moment."
Speaking about Bale's connection with the Welsh capital, he said:
“Cardiff has a lot of plusses. He’s from Wales; his family are from there. From a personal point of view, it could appeal. But I emphasise, this is me talking, my views, not Gareth’s. I have not discussed it with him.”
