DC are back in for Bale - reports

MLS side DC United have restarted talks with Gareth Bale’s representatives over a move to the United States this summer, according to reports across the Atlantic.

Bale’s contract at Real Madrid finally runs out this summer and it has been allbut confirmed that he will leave the Spanish capital. Quite where his next destination will be still appears up in the air at the moment.

There were reports earlier this year that his former club, Tottenham, were keen to have him back. Cardiff City have also been mentioned by some as a possible destination and those two clubs are the bookmakers’ front-runners as things stand.

However, the Washington Post’s football correspondent Steven Goff has claimed that DC United have reopened talks with Bale’s agent over the Wales captain heading to the MLS this summer.

Wales manager Rob Page has confirmed that Bale will play on next season, amid reports the player could even retire at the end of this current season, if the national team overcome either Scotland or Ukraine in June to reach the World Cup in Qatar later this year.

The MLS season runs until October 9, with the World Cup not kicking off until a month later. The American transfer window reopens mid-season between July 7 and August 4, so there is a possibility that a deal could be struck for the back end of the MLS campaign. Whether that lay-off between October 9 and November 21, when the World Cup begins, is too much of a stretch to maintain fitness levels, however, is an aspect which will need to be thought out.

However, veteran football writer Goff believes that DC United, who are owned by Swansea City chiefs Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan, are willing to table an offer of eyewatering wages.

Bale has previously spoken about wanting to play Stateside and might view this as the ideal next step to tick that off his bucket list.

On the International Champions Cup podcast in 2020, he said of playing in the MLS: “It is definitely something that would interest me. Also, I love going to LA on vacation.

“I play a lot of golf when I go there.”