Former Wales and Real Madrid star Gareth Bale is reportedly preparing a dramatic return to football, but not on the pitch, raher, in the boardroom. The 35-year-old, who retired in 2023, is leading a consortium bidding to purchase Cardiff City, the club based in his hometown.
Bale has submitted an offer exceeding €46 million to acquire the Welsh side, a move that would see him pay less than half of the €99 million Real Madrid shelled out for his services back in 2013. The former Galáctico said, “We’re interested in Cardiff. It’s my hometown club, where I grew up, and my uncle (Chris Pike) played for them,” as quoted by
MARCA.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Cardiff City, recently relegated to League One, is currently owned by Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan, who is reportedly open to selling. The club has already rejected an undisclosed initial offer from Bale’s consortium, but talks are expected to continue.
Earlier reports stated that Bale’s group had explored acquiring other clubs, including a failed attempt to buy Plymouth Argyle. However, his interest in Cardiff appears deeply personal and long-term.
“Being part of an ownership group would be a dream come true,” Bale said. “I’d love to be part of Cardiff’s growth and take it to the Premier League, where it deserves to be.”
If successful, Bale would join a growing list of footballers turning owners, following the likes of David Beckham and Gerard Piqué, as he aims to drive Cardiff’s resurgence from League One back to the top flight.
For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the
India vs England Test match here.
Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu’s inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
Read MoreThe TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide.
From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more.
The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics.
We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects.
We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.
Read Less
Start a Conversation
Post comment