Bale-in or Bale-out?

If you haven’t heard that Gareth Bale has been linked with moves to La Liga over the past 3 years, then you need to get out of your cave and listen up. The Spanish newspaper Marca have linked him frequently with Real Madrid and believe he, quite insistently, he is the next Cristiano Ronaldo and he will be in a Madrid shirt in the summer. As much as I dislike the idea of the Welsh winger leaving, it looks an inevitability.

The transfer fee has been oscillating constantly since he stormed into our first team in the latter half of the 2009/2010 season. At that point, Manchester United had been linked to him with him with a £20-25million offer on the cards. After his majestic performances in the Champions League, Barcelona had been linked with a £35million move. Now, Daniel Levy has priced him at around £50-60million. Not at any point has these links ever came to fruition; Bale has remained a Spurs player.

This valuation of the player shows what he means to the club, to the fans and to the league. His pace, averaging around 21mph at top speed, rouses fear into any full-back, in any team. He has developed into a set piece taker, a tag he’s had since his days at Southampton, a goal-scorer, already bagging 11 goals in 24 games this season, and a versatile player, drifting in all areas of the park this season and last. Very few people can doubt Gareth Bale’s ability; he has the potential to be one of the best.

[linequote]Not at any point has these links ever came to fruition; Bale has remained a Spurs player.[/linequote]

For Spurs though, his transfer will not be under-compensated. £60million could buy the very best in most positions, with some money to spare. Daniel Levy certainly has the business skills to extract the most out of teams’ wage budgets and would be fully aware of Bale’s value.

Of course, nobody wants Tottenham to turn into a selling club. The moment a club sells its star attraction, it is arguable that top players would lower their opinion of the club. We have seen Liverpool and Arsenal finding it harder to persuade players to come after selling their top players (Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas springs to mind). It’s one thing making money; it’s another thing bringing success.

[linequote]If he fails to live up to that pricetag, no doubt he will receive the same criticism that Luka Modric has received.[/linequote]

For whatever price Bale may or may not be sold for, it will be huge, resounding, unbelievable. When Ronaldo moved to Real for £80million, he was the best player in the world, and everyone expected he would succeed. Sure, United fans tried to persuade themselves into thinking he wasn’t even that good. But his record, for Manchester or Madrid, speaks for itself. For what Bale is valued at, fans worldwide will want him to succeed from the first minute. And if he fails to live up to that pricetag, no doubt he will receive the same criticism that Luka Modric has received.

A move away seems probable, certain to many tabloids. However, this transfer must not be considered lightly and simply. Are Tottenham ready to sell our star man? Is Gareth ready to be the second biggest transfer in history? Tottenham are still a team on the up, a long term project, with the potential to be good. Bale is not Ronaldo yet, even if the media preaches him to be.

[author name=”Jonathan Walczak” avatar=”https://twimg0-a.akamaihd.net/profile_images/3034788423/ca01cfbee5b008cdc2898e0eee07ddef.png” twitter=”jonnywol_” tag=”JonathanWalczak[/linequote]