Real Madrid have opened talks with Welsh Euro 2016 star Gareth Bale’s advisers and are hopeful of agreeing a new deal within the next month.
Bale – who has helped inspire Wales to their first quarter-final in a major International tournament in 58 years – is likely to be rewarded for his fine form for both club and country with a lucrative new deal and talks are already underway.
Madrid are keen to conclude all negotiations within the next three weeks, to ensure that the 26-year-old remains at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Having joined the club in 2013 from English club Tottenham Hotspur for a record-breaking fee of €100.8 million, Bale has just over three years remaining on his current contract.
However, Madrid are aiming to tie the two-time Champions League winner down for a longer period, in an attempt to finally extinguish any interest from Premier League clubs looking to take him back to England.
Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal had reportedly looked in to a deal to sign Bale – who will make his 60th International appearance when Wales take on Belgium in their Euro 2016 quarter-final on Friday night – last summer, but the Welshman is settled in Spain and a move never came into fruition.
With talks of a new deal, Madrid could kill off any lingering thoughts of Bale returning to the Premier League and their would be the very real possibility that Bale could finish his playing career with the Champions League holders and further increase his claim of being the highest scoring British footballer to play in La Liga.
A new contract would cap a wonderful few months for Bale, who has added to Madrid’s European glory by shining for Wales in Euro 2016 – their first appearance in an International tournament since a quarter-final showing back in 1958.
The current generation of Wales stars could surpass that legendary squad were they to beat Belgium and advance to the last-four.
And Bale – who scored in a 1-0 win over Belgium in qualifying for the tournament – has labelled the game one of the biggest football matches in Welsh history.
Bale told the BBC: “This is our time to shine. We’re the only home nation left in the competition, which is an amazing achievement in itself.
“We know about the quarter-final in 1958 but, since then, it’s definitely the biggest game in Welsh football. We’re very happy, very proud and we’ll be flying the flag for Wales.”
