Gareth Bale still has a lucrative offer from Chinese Super League powerhouse Guangzhou Evergrande if his switch from Real Madrid to Manchester United fails to happen.
Guangzhou Evergrande’s Fabio Cannavaro is said to be keen to bring a global superstar such as Wales ace Bale to China to demonstrate just how much the game has developed — and how seriously the world should take the league; a league his side currently lead.
Cannavaro has only just persuaded Paulinho to join him once more after he went to Barcelona for a season and the fact that the Brazil star was happy to return to the CSL is an impactful statement in its own right. Of course, Cannavaro may well desire Bale but many critics would suggest he hardly needs him to win the title, a crown that would be the club’s eighth in succession!
Bale switching to China would be dwarf the move, though. That said, Bale is at the state of his career where a move to another European club would suit him down to the ground. And in United boss Jose Mourinho he has a firm admirer and the stature of United is another hugely attractive factor.
Bale, who only ever played for Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur before switching to a big club such as Real Madrid, definitely has unfinished business in the Premier League. He is on his way out of the Bernabeu after a spellbinding goal in the club’s triumph in the Champions League final over Liverpool. He had failed to see eye to eye with boss Zinedine Zidane yet still managed to steal the show from Cristiano Ronaldo in the final. Ironically, five days after the final Zidane quit the club and just recently Ronaldo has also left, moving to Juventus for around £100million.
One aspect that may stop Bale moving to the CSL (because let’s face it, money won’t be an issue given that he could easily expect to pick up weekly wages in the region of £500,000 a week) would be his future as an international. Wales boss Ryan Giggs has stated in the past that he prefers the players he chooses to represent their country be based in Europe.
One figure who has been a significant manager in the Premier League who may well end up in China sooner than Bale is former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte. There is a tonne of speculation over the future of ex-Blues boss after he was axed by billionaire owner Roman Abramovich with a £9million pay out. And among the potential destinations laid out in front of Conte is a move to China. Plenty of big name managers have plied their trade in the league, he may well be the next.
Meanwhile, according to Spanish football publication, Marca, there is a chance that Spurs’ unwanted striker, Fernando Llorente could be on his way to the CSL after deciding to call time on his time at White hart lane. There is, however, no mention of which club the player would go to.