https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/644...city-takeover/

Not sure what to make of this

Gareth Bale is leading a consortium that has made an approach to buy Cardiff City.

Bale’s group sent a letter of intent to Cardiff owner Vincent Tan last month, which expressed their desire to purchase the Welshman’s hometown club and included financial numbers.

The proposal was rejected but interest from the former Real Madrid winger in Cardiff remains strong — whereas he is not in the frame to acquire Plymouth Argyle, despite recent reports. Cardiff declined to comment.

Cardiff were mooted as a possible destination for Bale, 35, in 2022 after he left Real Madrid but he signed for LAFC instead, where he made 14 appearances before retiring after the World Cup in Qatar.

The Welshman’s potential involvement in Cardiff comes after his former Tottenham Hotspur and Madrid team-mate Luka Modric became a co-owner of their south Wales rivals Swansea City earlier this month.

Bale, who announced his retirement as a player in January 2023, would be the latest big name to attach themselves to an ownership group of a team in the English Football League.

NFL legend Tom Brady became Birmingham City’s minority owner in August 2023, while American golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas bought shares in Leeds United before their promotion to the Premier League in May.

Cardiff have been a Premier League side as recently as 2018-19 but finished bottom of the Championship last season, two points off Plymouth in 23rd, recording only nine wins.

Head coach Omer Riza was sacked in April and replaced on an interim basis by Bale’s former international team-mate Aaron Ramsey, though he could not change their fortunes.

Brian Barry-Murphy has been appointed head coach ahead of the 2025-26 season, as Cardiff prepare for their first campaign in the English third tier since 2003.