Championship club 'stepping up their efforts' to sign Gareth Bale on a free

Can Cardiff pull this off?

Gareth Bale is attracting a lot of interest after announcing that he would be leaving Real Madrid this summer, and a Championship club are interested in securing his signature. As reported by the BBC, Cardiff City are 'stepping up their efforts' to pull off the improbable signing of the Wales captain in the coming weeks. The report adds that Bluebirds chairman Mehmet Dalman has flown into the United Kingdom to lead negotiations with Bale's camp. https://twitter.com/SloperBlues/status/1533782226743304193 The 32-year-old is available on a free transfer having left Real Madrid after nine years in Spain, during which he won 19 major honours.

Cardiff in the picture to sign Bale

A move to Major League Soccer (MLS) has been touted as a potential option for the Welshman, but it is thought that Cardiff - the city where Bale was born - are also in the picture. Bale has never actually played club football in Wales, but the Bluebirds are viewed as a realistic option, given that the former Tottenham Hotspur man's primary goal is to lead Wales in their first World Cup for 64 years.

While Cardiff are hopeful that Bale will make the unlikely move to the Principality Stadium, the winger's contract demands could prove to be an issue. At Real Madrid, he earned £600,000 per week - more than the weekly wage bill of Cardiff's first-team squad.

Despite this, Bale is thought to be open to taking a significant pay cut, and his signing would have huge marketing appeal for the Welsh club.

Bale has 'loads' of options

Prior to Wales' World Cup play-off final clash against Ukraine - which Rob Page's side won 1-0 thanks to Bale's deflected free-kick - the former Madrid man said that he had "loads" of club options.

https://twitter.com/FootballJOE/status/1533489436889063425 Bale registered 106 goals and 67 assists in 258 appearances for Real Madrid during his time at the Santiago Bernabéu.

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