Gareth Bale

[AustrianAndyGull]

This is why I hate the Premier League. In some quarters they are saying that Bale is courting offers of around £80 - £100 MILLION POUNDS especially from Real Madrid.

My question is why?

Bale was world class in Spurs first champions league season but NOT for the full season. If memory serves he went missing for half of it.

Bale was world class last season for Spurs , but only over half of it. He went missing for periods.

That is it. Two amazing seasons in which he showed both his ability but also his relative inconsistency. I say relative because if you compare him to Ronaldo or Messi (which sounds ridiculous) who do the business to a world class standard nearly every week then Bale is only half way there.

For me everyone is going well overboard with all this Bale talk, yes he has lots of ability and potential but £80 million? I can't help thinking that Real Madrid will regret paying that. I'm not convinced at all that he will be able to handle the pressure of having to produce on the biggest stage WEEK IN WEEK OUT and i'm not sure he has the ability to do this either.

I can't blame him if he went, i'd go to Real Madrid if they wanted me but does he really know what people will then expect?

[ferrarilover]

He had half a good season last year and he's gone from a nobody to being worth more than Ronaldo who, by the time of his move, had over 100 Premier League goals, a Champions League medal, at least two Premier League medals as well as a host of other awards.
Bale had a few weeks where everything he touched turned to gold. Well done to him, but, realistically, he's worth £20m tops.
It's the usual Real Madrid "my dad's got a bigger willy than your dad" story. They have to prove how mighty they are by signing the flavour of the month.

In all honestly, it's pathetic.

Matt.

[ferrarilover]

It gets better by the day...

It started at £80m, then went to £90m, then £100m, it's now up to £125m. I can't wait for the weekend, by which time it'll be up to a billion pounds for a guy who was offered to Birmingham City about 18 months ago for £3m.

If Levy is serious, then he is in serious trouble. Forbes value Spurs at £330m. Is Levy honestly saying that Bale represents 38% of THFC's total value.

If it wasn't so laughable, it would drive some to suicide.

Matt.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Like you say Matt, some forget that he struggled for years at Spurs and was nearly sold for peanuts and now after 2 scintillating HALF SEASONS he is suddenly worth what Messi and Ronaldo are? If it wasn't so laughable it would indeed drive some to suicide Matt.

Real Madrid still owe Spurs money for Modric anyway don't they? If they buy Bale for £80 mil then Spurs will probably get about 30 up front only.

[Dave]

Thing is Andy, Sky sports did several comparisons between Bale and Ronaldo yesterday, including Ronaldo's last season in England to Bale's stats last season for Spurs.

Bale's stats last season were better in evey way than Ronaldo's last season at Man.U expect for the fact Ronadlo actually won the league with his team,

Wether you look at Stas which to be honest I am no fan of, or just what you see performance wise, Bale has matured and got better every season, it's not what Bale the player is today that Madrid are after, it's what Bale the player may turn into, and if carries on improving, yep I understand why they are going to part with some serious money.

[AustrianAndyGull]

That may be the case though but Ronaldo is a proven player, he has had many seasons at the top level and been there and done it at the highest level, Bale hasn't and there must be great doubt if he ever can. I wouldn't want to take an £80 million pound gamble.

[Dave]

Totaly agree Andy, however, wether we like or not, that is the amount of money it will take now to secure the likes of Bale, Madrid could wait 3 years for his contract to run down, but they want the player now so must pay over the top for him.

The other thing with Real Madrid they very rarely lose out on any player they sign, it is a part of any players contract who signs for Madrid that a % of all the players private earnings from sposorship deals they go to the club, all the indicaters suggest Bale will only get better, if he is a big hit Madrid will earn a fortune of him.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Yes true Dave, I'm not having a go at Bale here. I mean who wouldn't want to play for Real Madrid? In the media they are saying that La Liga is so uncompetitive that he will probably be a success anyway but that's not the point. The point is that it is a chance for him to go abroad and test himself and have new experiences. I feel that many more English players should be going abroad, even Championship ones could get moves to smaller Belgian, French, Dutch sides for example although they would probably be on slightly less money.

[happytorq]

I don't understand why this thing makes you hate the Premier League, Andy.

Real Madrid want Gareth Bale. Spurs don't really want him to leave, but will if they get offered the right price. If Levy can convince Madrid to shell out £100m+ for Bale then he is a genius, and it pays for Spurs' transfer dealings for the next 2 years. Gareth Bale only signed a contract extension earlier in the summer, so it looks more like a cost agreement between Spurs and Bale to gouge more money out of Madrid.

Which I think tells you more about Real Madrid than anything else.