From the world’s most expensive player to a potential afterthought, a curious few months lie ahead for Gareth Bale.
A summer of change seems guaranteed at Real Madrid. Where president Florentino Perez’s desires lie is difficult to ascertain as rumours swirl that Europe’s grandest club are set for their biggest outlay in four years.
Will the 28-year-old forward be cast aside in the race to land the likes of Brazil superstar Neymar, Belgium magician Eden Hazard or Egypt’s Mohamed Salah?
Is there even a market any more for a player of sublime talent who gets such frustratingly little chance to show it because of constant injury, or does the Los Blancos’ hierarchy remain committed believers in the target prised from Tottenham’s grasp for a historic fee of €100 million (Dh486.1m) in September 2013?
The Wales superstar had plenty of time, if so inclined, to ponder these issues during his marathon 7,500-mile trip from Madrid to the Chinese city of Nanning, that begun on Sunday night and ended on Tuesday afternoon.
His role with the national team remains crucial. But with his club, clarity is hard to find.
Time to bail on Bale?
After being priced out of the battles to land centre midfielder Paul Pogba and striker Kylian Mbappe in consecutive summers, media reports continually insist there will be no hesitancy from Madrid this time.
Despite already possessing the likes of Bale, Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez, the acquisition of a free-scoring wide forward is repeatedly rumoured.
On ability alone, Bale’s spot on the Madrid roster remains unquestioned. He’s second-top scorer behind Ronaldo on 12 goals in all competitions and is currently averaging a goal or assist every 126 minutes in La Liga.
Isco’s comparative ratio is 153 minutes, Asensio’s is 135 minutes and maligned striker Karim Benzema is on 129 minutes. Only Vazquez’s 105 minutes is a notable upgrade.
In total, he’s notched a respectable 79 times in 179 run-outs in royal white.
116 - Gareth Bale will equal David Beckham's record as the British player with the most La Liga appearances when he plays against Espanyol tonight (116 apps). Dragon. pic.twitter.com/HVr1PPguMu
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) February 27, 2018
His 160th appearance in November also saw him surpass David Beckham as the record holder for Madrid appearances by a British player.
Yet, this mark should have been bettered years ago.
Bale has picked up more than 10 injuries in five seasons at Madrid. A susceptibility to calf problems, in particular, has been the bane of his Bernabeu stint.
Out of a potential 181 La Liga fixtures since his purchase, he’s missed – for a variety of reasons – 62 of them. This equates to 34.3 per cent.
When the evergreen Cristiano Ronaldo remains virtually ever-present and the likes of 22-year-old Asensio are rapidly coming up on the outside, no wonder Bale can seem like a spare part. Head coach Zinedine Zidane simply cannot rely on him.
Paltry returns on his £600,000 a week (Dh3.1m), five-year contract extension signed in October 2016 cannot be justified at this rate.
Especially when Salah has 37 goals or assists in the 2017/18 Premier League and Neymar has a combined tally of 32 in Ligue 1.
Such an injury record and sizeable remuneration makes him seem like the player Madrid would be best advised to cut.
This does not appear a simple exercise.
The sight of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar together could become a permanent one at Madrid.
Out of options
Where is the market for a player of rarefied standing who rarely has the chance to show it?
It would require an unforeseeable U-turn from canny operators such as Bayern Munich and Juventus to offer an exit route.
Even if Paris Saint-Germain let Neymar and a substantial load of cash head the other way, Bale – with his age and fitness record – does not seem desirable.
‘Stupid English Money’ – as the Premier League’s spendthrift sides are mockingly labelled by those on the continent – should offer the obvious solution.
But even then, options aren’t plentiful. Perennial suitors Manchester United have invested a small fortune in 29-year-old Alexis Sanchez and manager Jose Mourinho has declared no interest in further adding to his attack.
The average current age of Pep Guardiola’s signings still at Manchester City is 24.7 years old – a figure inflated by 34-year-old Chile reserve goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.
Chelsea seem more concerned by net spend these days, his frail body is unlikely to meet the fevered demands set by ‘gegenpressing’ Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and a return to Tottenham would shatter their protected wage structure.
Good win again tonight!! Vamos equipo ⚽ pic.twitter.com/beo9FbZqgZ
— Gareth Bale (@GarethBale11) March 18, 2018
History is on his side
Agent Jonathan Barnett is renowned as one of the football industry’s most rapacious operators. All his skills would be required to pull off an escape back to the Premier League.
And there-in lies the likeliest eventuality. If he can stay fit, he has the capacity to compete with any addition at Madrid.
Fellow Brits Beckham and Steve McManaman were made persona non grata there during the previous decade. Through sheer will and an indefatigable attitude, they returned to prominence.
Lessons from history point the way to a future at Los Blancos that can still be bright, for Bale.
