Details are coming out on bits and pieces of the impending arrival of Gareth Bale in Madrid. Bale is expected to cost Real Madrid a world record €99m.
Preparations are under way in the Santiago Bernabéu directors’ box for the unveiling of Bale tomorrow. Although Real Madrid are yet to confirm a deal for the Wales international, the club does not want to leave anything to improvisation and already has its workers readying the stage which is usually used for player presentations. Restrictions on guided tours of the Bernabéu are also expected for tomorrow. The club have had his number 11 shirt ready for weeks.
Bale is reported to have signed a six-year contract worth €10 million after tax per year. Those wages then will cost Real Madrid about €120m. So add the wages to the transfer fee and Bale will cost Real €220m over the next 6 years. That is a remarkable expenditure for a player who only three years ago Spurs were looking to loan out,.
Bale’s has taken Cristiano Ronaldo’s place as the world’s most expensive signing. Real paid Man United €96m for Ronaldo in 2009. Ronaldo had previously dethroned Zidane, who signed for Real Madrid for €69m in 2001.
Four of the most expensive transfers in the history of football were made by Real Madrid during Florentino Pérez’s two terms as club president. Ronaldo, Bale, Zidane and Kaká are amongst the top 5 most expensive footballers of all time.
The difference between Ronaldo, Zidane and Kaká and Bale is that the other Galácticos were all established stars when they arrived at the Santiago Bernabéu, having won World Cups, European Cups and numerous league titles. They were equipped to handle the pressure of playing for Real Madrid. Bale does not have that experience and it will be interesting to see how he handles being the most expensive player in the world in a dressing room full of stars.
