What next for Gareth Bale?

After a topsy-turvy last couple of seasons in the Spanish capital, Gareth Bale will be leaving Real Madrid when his contract expires later this month.

The Welshman joined the La Liga giants for £90million and hit the ground running in his first season with Los Blancos, winning the Copa del Rey and the Champions League in his debut season.

Four more Champions League trophies and three league titles followed in the subsequent seven campaigns with Bale contributing significantly en route to the majority of those honours.

Although the 32-year-old’s Madrid career is a tale of two different halves, he can look back on his time at Santiago Bernabeu with great pride nonetheless.

As he prepares for the final phase of his playing days, where could Bale be headed next?

Cardiff City

As disclosed by his agent Jonathan Barnett, Bale could join his boyhood club Cardiff in the upcoming transfer window.

“We’ll look and see in due course but I repeat there are no options on the table at the moment,” Barnett told Wales Online.

“Cardiff has a lot of plusses. He’s from Wales, his family are from there. From a personal point of view, it could appeal.”

However, it remains to be seen whether he would be open to plying his trade in the second tier of English football.

Tottenham Hotspur

Bale announced himself to world football with his impressive displays in North London prior to his move to Madrid in 2014.

The winger also spent the 2020/21 season on loan with the Lilywhites where he managed an impressive 16 goals across all competitions.

Despite all of that, Bale is yet to win a major trophy with Spurs and that could be a source of motivation to return to Tottenham for one final push.

Major League Soccer

As seen on numerous occasions, some players opt to spend the twilight of their careers in Major League Soccer.

Per Fabrizio Romano, Giorgio Chiellini is set to become the latest European high-profile footballing export to America off the back of 17 successful years with Juventus.

Whether Bale still feels ready to compete at the top level is definitely up to him but due to his persistent injury woes, a move to the calmer waters of the MLS could be what he needs right now.