It's happening....

[LeningradCowboy]

It might not be happening.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...tween-24302202

He could sign a six-month contract with us to prepare for the World Cup and then go to MLS next year.

[The Lone Gunman]

He could sign a six-month contract with us to prepare for the World Cup and then go to MLS next year.

The problem (for him) with that sort of arrangement is that similar offers from America may not be on the table in six months and he may get injured in the meantime.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the idea of playing in America for a couple of years appeals to Bale. I think his ambitions as regards club football are now limited. The experience of playing in America may well have more appeal for him and his family than a season or two in the Championship.

[North Cardiff Blue]

I’d be very surprised if he hasn’t already had better offers from elsewhere.

Putting the blame on the agent is naive to say the least. If Bale wanted to play for City and was already 100% committed to the idea, he’d have said so by now. But he hasn’t.

It will have been hard for him to decide to play for peanuts (for him) after a lifetime of unbelievable pay deals, his agent will be trying to screw as much as possible, so last minute haggling is to be expected for the greatest Welsh footballer of all time.

I think he's coming and we are just waiting for it to be confirmed probably tomorrow, unless Ramsey is a possibility if so they might choose to delay and do a joint announcement.

If he wants to be as fit as possible for the World Cup, Cardiff City based at the Welsh FA training ground is his best option, it should really be a no brainer.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

American football is shite

[LeningradCowboy]

The problem (for him) with that sort of arrangement is that similar offers from America may not be on the table in six months and he may get injured in the meantime.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the idea of playing in America for a couple of years appeals to Bale. I think his ambitions as regards club football are now limited. The experience of playing in America may well have more appeal for him and his family than a season or two in the Championship.

I see your point, but the MLS regular season runs all through summer and then ends at the beginning of October. That doesn't seem like great preparation for the World Cup, which I assume is Bale's highest priority.

[The Lone Gunman]

If he wants to be as fit as possible for the World Cup, Cardiff City based at the Welsh FA training ground is his best option, it should really be a no brainer.

I can’t understand why people are so fixated on the World Cup. Of course Bale wants to be as fit as possible for it, but it’s only a handful of games over a few weeks. I’d be amazed if that is anything close to being his primary focus. I’m pretty sure the next couple of years for him and his family are more of a concern.

[Carl Dale's Mole]

Well this is the worst thing I've read on it so far this week...drifting away....

Paul Abbandonato
@PaulAbbandonato

Replying to @BarmyBluebird94 @GarethBale11 @CardiffCityFC

My feeling was very much Cardiff Dan, 90-plus per cent, but then I'm told today it might be 'drifting away'. I genuinely think he's completely torn, could go either way. While that's the case, I retain hope...

[North Cardiff Blue]

I can’t understand why people are so fixated on the World Cup. Of course Bale wants to be as fit as possible for it, but it’s only a handful of games over a few weeks. I’d be amazed if that is anything close to being his primary focus. I’m pretty sure the next couple of years for him and his family are more of a concern.

It's his once in a lifetime chance to prove he's Wales best ever player in front of the World stage, thats going to be his number one priority to make sure he's in the best condition he can be.

His family will obviously be a big consideration also, and seeing as all of his extended family live in Cardiff and he has a mansion here with his own Golf Course, why would he bugger off to America and play in a Mickey Mouse League, it makes no sense at all?

[Undercoverinwurzelland]

Bale not signing for us would obviously be a huge anti-climax, but going to MLS would feel like a real kick in the nuts.

[Carl Dale's Mole]

It's his once in a lifetime chance to prove he's Wales best ever player in front of the World stage, thats going to be his number one priority to make sure he's in the best condition he can be.

His family will obviously be a big consideration also, and seeing as all of his extended family live in Cardiff and he has a mansion here with his own Golf Course, why would he bugger off to America and play in a Micky Mouse League, it makes no sense at all?

I'd argue that getting us to the World Cup (and everything before it) is already enough to cement his place as the best Welsh player ever.

[North Cardiff Blue]

Well this is the worst thing I've read on it so far this week...drifting away....

Paul Abbandonato
@PaulAbbandonato

Replying to @BarmyBluebird94 @GarethBale11 @CardiffCityFC

My feeling was very much Cardiff Dan, 90-plus per cent, but then I'm told today it might be 'drifting away'. I genuinely think he's completely torn, could go either way. While that's the case, I retain hope...

90% I'll take that let it drift to 75% he's still coming at that rate!

[Carl Dale's Mole]

90% I'll take that let it drift to 75% he's still coming at that rate!

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

What a load of old fanny

[North Cardiff Blue]

I'd argue that getting us to the World Cup (and everything before it) is already enough to cement his place as the best Welsh player ever.

Agreed we know it, at the World Cup he can show the rest of the World that he is

[Rjk]

I can’t understand why people are so fixated on the World Cup. Of course Bale wants to be as fit as possible for it, but it’s only a handful of games over a few weeks. I’d be amazed if that is anything close to being his primary focus. I’m pretty sure the next couple of years for him and his family are more of a concern.

Yeah none of us know what his personal priorities are. If it was me I'd probably be taking a big payday somewhere warm.

it isn't completely unrealistic though to guess that his main priority is the world cup. With all he's achieved in the game, another league or cup win somewhere isn't going to change his "legacy" at all, whereas doing something at the world cup (i.e. getting out of the group i guess) is definitely new territory for him.

The fact that he's talking to us at all suggests that it must be part of his thinking, as he could easily get an offer from a premier league team or serie A. Even the Getafe chairman seemed very up for the idea of signing him.

[The Lone Gunman]

It's his once in a lifetime chance to prove he's Wales best ever player in front of the World stage, thats going to be his number one priority to make sure he's in the best condition he can be.

His family will obviously be a big consideration also, and seeing as all of his extended family live in Cardiff and he has a mansion here with his own Golf Course, why would he bugger off to America and play in a Mickey Mouse League, it makes no sense at all?

Why would he and his young family want to spend a couple of years in America when they can spend the rest of their lives in South Wales?

Good question….

[lardy]

I can’t understand why people are so fixated on the World Cup. Of course Bale wants to be as fit as possible for it, but it’s only a handful of games over a few weeks. I’d be amazed if that is anything close to being his primary focus. I’m pretty sure the next couple of years for him and his family are more of a concern.

I'd be amazed if it isn't by far his primary focus, as it is THE WORLD CUP.

He's scored the winning goal in two different Champions League finals, scored in the shootout in a third, and has two more winning medals on top of that. He's won league titles, he's won cups, he's won world club cups.

He's done far more than he could have dreamed of in club football. The World Cup with Wales is the final frontier. How could playing a couple of seasons in the USA that he could still do at age 35, let alone age 33, be more exciting for him than that, very likely the only time he will play in a WC?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I'd be amazed if it isn't by far his primary focus, as it is THE WORLD CUP.

He's scored the winning goal in two different Champions League finals, scored in the shootout in a third, and has two more winning medals on top of that. He's won league titles, he's won cups, he's won world club cups.

He's done far more than he could have dreamed of in club football. The World Cup with Wales is the final frontier. How could playing a couple of seasons in the USA that he could still do at age 35, let alone age 33, be more exciting for him than that, very likely the only time he will play in a WC?

Feck me I could play in the MLS

[North Cardiff Blue]

Why would he and his young family want to spend a couple of years in America when they can spend the rest of their lives in South Wales?

Good question….

Because it wouldn't put him in the best position to reach maximum fitness and performance levels for the World Cup, at any other time I would see your point, but not at this crucial time in his life

His house, Cardiff City and the Vale Welsh Training base will fit perfectly for the preperation, it's where he has to be, he can travel/relocate to the USA as much as he likes when he's finished playing football.

[The Lone Gunman]

I'd be amazed if it isn't by far his primary focus, as it is THE WORLD CUP.

He's scored the winning goal in two different Champions League finals, scored in the shootout in a third, and has two more winning medals on top of that. He's won league titles, he's won cups, he's won world club cups.

He's done far more than he could have dreamed of in club football. The World Cup with Wales is the final frontier. How could playing a couple of seasons in the USA that he could still do at age 35, let alone age 33, be more exciting for him than that, very likely the only time he will play in a WC?

Yes, it’s the WORLD CUP! That must surely be his primary focus in life right now, right?

Gareth Bale still playing professional football at 35? Rightio….

Anyway, we’ll apparently see one way or the other in the next few days.

[lardy]

Yeah none of us know what his personal priorities are. If it was me I'd probably be taking a big payday somewhere warm.

it isn't completely unrealistic though to guess that his main priority is the world cup. With all he's achieved in the game, another league or cup win somewhere isn't going to change his "legacy" at all, whereas doing something at the world cup (i.e. getting out of the group i guess) is definitely new territory for him.

The fact that he's talking to us at all suggests that it must be part of his thinking, as he could easily get an offer from a premier league team or serie A. Even the Getafe chairman seemed very up for the idea of signing him.

It's not either the World Cup or a big payday though. He can do both, and just choose where he wants to go for the big payday in 6 months time.

[nomad blue]

Why would he and his young family want to spend a couple of years in America when they can spend the rest of their lives in South Wales?

Good question….

I can't imagine uprooting a young family to go and live in a new country for just a couple of years is all that appealing at the back end of his career. Assuming he didn't move there permanently of course.

[Rjk]

I can't imagine uprooting a young family to go and live in a new country for just a couple of years is all that appealing at the back end of his career. Assuming he didn't move there permanently of course.

Lots of footballers do

[Eric Cartman]

I'd imagine the club wants some level of commitment from him otherwise however cool it would be to see him pull on the shirt for a few games, it's just disruptive to whatever we are trying to achieve. If his plan is a few months with us and then piss off somewhere else then probably better to cut ourselves out of the equation altogether.

I don't actually believe any of these hacks know what is going on and I certainly wouldn't trust bookies odds as they will move on 20 quid either way.

I don't understand the lure of America, money isn't great (in terms of his past salaries), standard is pretty poor, travel is absurd and it will likely wreck his world cup prep.

[Joe Gillis]

Ralls is the one player who comes anywhere near the standard of the other two in our current squad. Hardly a name to ridicule.

That is a joke, right?