Every Premier League fan (minus Spurs fans, of course) should be hoping Gareth Bale moves to Real Madrid this summer and here’s why. Many of us felt that the inevitable empty feeling that they suffer come the end of the season would be around for a while. Even those who where pretending to themselves that England ‘might do alright’ at the Under-21 Championships quickly sobered up from such obscene thoughts. So, as a nation of football lovers asks themselves what’s next, I hear most people begging to not have to endure another empty summer. And they might just get their wish if Gareth Bale moves to Real Madrid.
Bale’s protracted move to Real Madrid would mean Tottenham losing their best player but they could receive a world record fee in excess of £80 million for his services. A fee this large could free up the transfer market like never before. Perhaps most significantly, it would open the door for Cristiano Ronaldo to return to Man. United as he could be deemed surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu. It would also allow Spurs to strengthen in areas which would allow them to finally break into the top four.
We all know how Roman Abramovich runs Chelsea, he wouldn’t sit idly by whilst this all happened; oh no, he would spend big, perhaps more than ever before. Man. City’s transfer policy hardly needs mentioning and Arsenal would be desperate to stay in the top four. The altered dynamics and increased competition in the Premier League could create a more competitive environment than the one that saw Man. City roll over and relinquish the title they fought so hard to win to hated rivals United.
Whilst Ronaldo is admired at the Bernabeu, he is not adored like he is by Man. United fans. The Old Trafford faithful still sing his name every game and it’s been almost four years since he left Manchester. He received a welcome unlike any he has received in Spain when he returned to Old Trafford to knock United out of the Champions League this season. Ronaldo is a man with a huge ego, a man that needs to be adored by his own, and loathed by his enemies; it is what makes him tick.
He will never be fully accepted by Real Madrid as one of their own because of his nationality. The commercial value of the deal would be worth its weight in gold to Nike, who pay United and Ronaldo millions in sponsorship deals every year and who must be getting pretty irritated at seeing one of their biggest assets in Ronaldo running around in Real Madrid’s Addidas kit every week. United also want to make a marquee signing to signal the club’s intent following Fergie’s departure, and what better way to do it then by bringing back a man who is worshipped by their fans?
The race for fourth place in the Premier League has had a certain element of predictability about it for many years now; Arsenal will have a mid-season stutter whilst Spurs will throw a few good results together and go on a good run before ultimately imploding and allowing Arsenal to canter into fourth and the Champions’ League.
Although Spurs face the prospect of losing their talisman, £80 million is a lot of money. Just think who they could buy... pretty much anyone. Andre Villas Boas has never been allowed freedom of the transfer market in England, and if you look at what he did with Porto, the silver lining could be bigger than the cloud for Spurs. Should they get into Europe, they will only attract better and better players, Bale could be the elephant in the (home dressing) room at White Hart Lane?
If United and Spurs strengthen significantly, there is no way they will not face stiff competition from the other top teams. Roman Abramovich splashed out close to £40 million on Eden Hazard last year after Chelsea somehow won the Champions’ League, and I’m sure he’d rather forget a few years ago when he threw £50 million at Liverpool for the services of Fernando Torres for no apparent reason. So, there is absolutely no way he would sit by and let old enemies United and new rivals Spurs overtake his team without giving them a fight.
Man. City have already signed Sevilla winger Jesús Navas and the transfer season hasn’t started yet. So there is no chance in hell Sheikh Mansour would watch Ronaldo fly over to the red half without trying to match United in a fight to sign more megastars, it could resemble school children playing a game of top trumps more than football clubs conducting business.
Arsenal have hung onto their reputation of being in Europe every season for 16 years with some smugness of late and chairman Ivan Gazidis says the club are ready to spend big, with Marouane Fellaini widely touted to be the man to give their silky midfield some balls. Their bitter rivalry with Spurs mean they would be extra determined to cling to their reputation as North London’s finest but it would take some doing if Villas Boas is allowed a free reign in the transfer market.
So, Bale moving to Real Madrid could light a fuse that saves us all from another boring, empty summer that we all so desperately want to avoid.