Bale to wait for World Cup fate before making move

GARETH Bale is set to wait until Wales have discovered their World Cup fate before making a decision on his next step at club level.

Bale, 32, scored two brilliant goals in Wales’ World Cup play-off semi-final win over Austria last Thursday to set up a final against Scotland or Ukraine.

That one-off tie has been postponed because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with the final now likely to be played in June.

Bale’s contract at Real Madrid expires at the end of this season.

“We have not discussed anything yet,” Bale’s agent, Jonathan Barnett, told BBC Sport Wales.

“Once we know Wales’ situation with the World Cup, we will discuss it then.”

Bale will leave Real Madrid when his contract, worth an estimated £600,000 per week, ends this summer.

He has won 14 trophies during his nine years with Real, including four Champions League titles, but he has faced criticism in Spain for his injury record and perceived greater commitment to Wales.

That escalated last week when Spanish newspaper Marca described Bale as a “parasite”, prompting a strong response from the Wales captain who also faced calls on Spanish television for Madrid to sack him before his contract expires.

Bale’s relationship with Real has deteriorated in recent years and he was close to moving to China in 2019 before his transfer to Jiangsu Suning fell through.

He then rejoined former club Tottenham on loan last season and has started only three games for Real during this campaign.

After a successful start to his career in Madrid, Bale’s future has been under particularly intense scrutiny over the past three years, and there was speculation that he would retire from football entirely after last summer’s delayed Euro 2020.

He did not categorically deny that before the tournament and, although he said in September last year that he never had any intention of retiring, similar speculation has resurfaced this week.

Bale has deflected questions about his future as he aims to lead Wales to a first World Cup since 1958, his greatest remaining ambition.

Reports have suggested Bale could retire if Wales fail to qualify for the World Cup, though neither the player himself nor his representatives have commented on those claims.

It is certain, however, that Wales’ World Cup aspirations will have a major bearing.